Archaeological and soil-stratigraphic data define the origin, growth, and collapse of Subir, the third millennium rain-fed agriculture civilization of northern Mesopotamia on the Habur Plains of Syria. At 2200 B. C., a marked increase in aridity and wind circulation, subsequent to a volcanic eruption, induced a considerable degradation of land-use conditions. After four centuries of urban life, this abrupt climatic change evidently caused abandonment of Tell Leilan, regional desertion, and collapse of the Akkadian empire based in southern Mesopotamia. Synchronous collapse in adjacent regions suggests that the impact of the abrupt climatic change was extensive.

No abstract

This study sheds light on the agricultural economy that underpinned the emergence of the first urban centres in northern Mesopotamia. Using δC and δN values of crop remains from the sites of Tell Sabi Abyad, Tell Zeidan, Hamoukar, Tell Brak and Tell Leilan (6500-2000 cal bc), we reveal that labour-intensive practices such as manuring/middening and water management formed an integral part of the agricultural strategy from the seventh millennium bc. Increased agricultural production to support growing urban populations was achieved by cultivation of larger areas of land, entailing lower manure/midden inputs per unit area-extensification. Our findings paint a nuanced picture of the role of agricultural production in new forms of political centralization. The shift towards lower-input farming most plausibly developed gradually at a household level, but the increased importance of land-based wealth constituted a key potential source of political power, providing the possibility for greater bureaucratic control and contributing to the wider societal changes that accompanied urbanization.

No abstract

A renewed analysis was undertaken of the Sus remains from all habitation phases at Neolithic Çayönü Tepesi, a site which spans more than two millennia and has been considered as among the oldest domestication sites of the pig in Western Asia. The research included age at death estimations, osteometrical analysis of both dental and postcranial material, and the recording of a dental defect (Linear Enamel Hypoplasia or LEH). The analysis revealed a diachronic trend towards younger ages at death, smaller body size, shorter dentition and an increasing frequency of LEH. The results, however, cannot easily be interpreted within the simple dichotomy of "domestic " versus "wild "populations, instead, they show gradual and slow changes and not sudden, dramatic events. This suggests a gradual intensification of the relationship between humans and Sus, a. process that started, early but developed only slowly. The data, support the hypothesis that the Sus population at and around Çayönü lived in a relationship with humans, that was intermediary between "wild" and "domestic ".

No abstract

Cementum, a bone‐like tissue that surrounds the roots of teeth, anchoring them to the periodontal ligament, is useful for determining the age at and season of death of mammals, an issue of concern for both archaeologists and biologists. When a tooth is sectioned and examined microscopically, cementum appears in bands that differ in their optical properties and are well correlated with seasonal growth. Because it is a continually deposited tissue that is rarely modified or resorbed, cementum records the history of a variety of seasonal factors that affect its growth. An understanding of the biological nature of cementum is crucial to the identification of these factors and interpretation of the resulting incremental structure. This paper outlines current knowledge of the development, histology and function of cementum in the context of the mammalian masticatory apparatus. Of the various types of cementum, acellular cementum is often more appropriate for seasonal correlations. Differences between acellular cementum increments are probably related to specific dietary factors that often vary between seasons. Cellular cementum increments probably result from phasic cementogenesis triggered by tooth eruption. This paper outlines a study of cementum bands in Gazella gazella for which there is an excellent correlation between the season of death and incremental structures in their cementum. This correlation can be used to estimate the season of death of gazelles from archaeological sites in the Levant. Problems for future research are outlined.

Our worit un Fauıinl remains İn un Çayönü began in 19% iti Istanbul. Shortly uftı-r the plan for our llffltigalkm of fauna WAS proposed um-uf ıhı-jtuıltots 11-•: n • • visited ılıt' Brakfeuuds ;L| Ihı 1 Ork-ntal In-dilute, al Ihı-end tıf 199» or I • >-nı n- .-. of We I ı.o •-j lunch in the Kix-menl of the OrieıîLil lınimte over a lunch bcM ılı.» Ur. Unda Hraklwuod had hnmglıt İt «m a simple, un pretentious IH» pleasant and memomhlc kındı break, lı was the firsi üiid only occasion ifrit f lon-RO met the couple, and iı stilt ram akis as a warm nicnuırv. Shortly before thai another of us (Msackmbhjda dinner with die Braklwocxh al Hafeı Çambd s lately homecfi the Ikispltumv Thisuix loo, was ihe only linn-dial be IIK'I this wonderful couple l-vtn these brief eneoLimer* made il easy lo ice how Unda and Kolxn PnidWOOd OfXUmd ihe lnans of everyone u ho worked with limn [1 was Ihe will of late Dr, Bariktra Uiwrentv, who carried oui /ooaixhacological stutlies at Çuyttnil in ihe tPTtte, as well as of the Ura id wood".* that fauna I remains from > iy< .-", In; studied in derails and Turkish /oumhueoli gists Ix-ing trained through IT-work. I : .r mission was lulled by Lite unexpected drath of Dr. lictriri Kuşatman in 1995. tiur work on Çayönü fauna has lxx-n carried out wiih rile assistance of two siudeuls pom I'riiLstory Section cH" l. nivtrsitv of Istanbul. GÜkiri İlmezdi ami Ikinu Dksüz wfr> staned learning zixwrchaeolo^ with Ur. Kuşumun. The spirits of all Ihcse |xu|Je continue lo ueenmpany us in our invesrijylion of the fauna! remains from Çjyönü