Geometric objects from LPPNB Es-Sifiya, Wadi Mujib, Jordan

Mahasneh, Hamzeh M.; Gebel, Hans Georg K.

doi:10.3406/paleo.1998.4682

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Though found in all phases, the majority of clay objects of sixth-millennium Hajji Firuz Tepe (all cones) were recovered together, on the floor of structure VI, in association with Burial 3 ( c. 5812 cal. bc : Voigt 1983, 548–49); while at Es-Sifiya, 100 per cent of recovered clay objects come from a single building, a ‘workshop’ (Mahasneh & Gebel 1998). Höyücek's Sanctuaries Phase is characterized by the building of open-air religious structures on virgin soil and an apparent lack of domestic dwellings (Duru & Umurtak 2005, 164–7, 173–6, 225, 243).…”

Section: Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

Reconsidering ‘Tokens’: The Neolithic Origins of Accounting or Multifunctional, Utilitarian Tools?

Bennison-Chapman¹

2018

CAJ

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The origin of record keeping is a key question in the development of social complexity and specialized economies, representing the first step towards the emergence of written communication. Yet the precursors of the world's earliest writing and its initial stages of development remain little understood. Small, geometric clay objects ('tokens') appear in the tenth millennium cal. BC, the start of the Neolithic in West Asia, prevailing into the first millennium. It is largely assumed that from their inception clay objects played a crucial role in record keeping, directly evolving into the world's earliest known writing. Utilizing new and previously unpublished Neolithic data comprising almost individually studied 3000 objects, accompanied by information from 56 further Neolithic sites, this article investigates the meaning of Neolithic 'tokens'. Analysis proves the basis of their predominant interpretation to be incorrect; clay objects appear earlier than previously recognized and are not a necessary component of Neolithic agro-pastoral villages. 'Tokens' were multi-functional artefacts; even within a single site clay objects performed multiple roles. Though likely used in simple counting activities, this was not limited to the accounting of agricultural produce. Nor was counting the sole function of clay objects in the Neolithic. Clay objects were not created to administer agricultural produce and there is no evidence to suggest that in the Neolithic they formed part of a unified symbolic system. ). Though concerns were raised at the time of publication (such as Pollock 1999, 166; Zimansky 1993), Schmandt-Besserat's work remains mainstream, despite evidence to support her claims, especially the reasons for the initial appearance and use of 'tokens' in the Neolithic period being far from secure.This article investigates evidence for the predominant interpretation of the earliest 'tokens', those from the Neolithic period. To date no convincing evidence supporting Denise Schmandt-Besserat's interpretation of the function of pre-historic 'tokens' has been published. This paper utilizes new and previously unpublished Neolithic data comprising almost 3000 individually published objects, in addition to data from a total of 79 sites (Table 1). Importantly, the research specifically incorporates information regarding the immediate and wider context of clay objects in the Neolithic. Analysis proves that, far from being the unequivocal precursors of cuneiform script and part of Schmandt-Besserat's proposed symbolic administrative 'token' system, clay objects were basic, multi-functional tools with a range of meanings, functions and uses.The abundance of clay objects found across an expansive temporal and geographic zone (Fig. 2), spanning the entire West Asian region across many millennia, implies an important role for these artefacts, a role which may relate to one of the many economic, cultural, symbolic and lifestyle changes seen at the start of the Neolithic, the period in which they initially occur. 'Tokens' are char...

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Section: Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

Reconsidering ‘Tokens’: The Neolithic Origins of Accounting or Multifunctional, Utilitarian Tools?

Bennison-Chapman¹

2018

CAJ

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“…Probablemente se remontan a desarrollos ubicados en las regiones más septentrionales de la provincia de Bilad ash-Sham desde el PPNB Tardío. Técnicas de quema ya se conocían en las figurinas del PPNB (Mahasneh y Gebel 1999). En el PPNB Tardío-Final del Levante meridional hubo experimentos variados relacionados con diversos materiales, como la cal, la arcilla y la marga, pero, pese a ello, no se llegó a una tecnología cerámica en el sentido de tierra quemada de manera irreversible.…”

Section: Estructuras Corporativas Con Unidades Domésticas Extendidas:...unclassified

El surgimiento de sociedades sedentarias en el Levante meridional del Cercano Oriente

Gebel

2007

BOLARQ

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Las transformaciones sociales del Neolítico en el Levante meridional denotan dos tendencias básicas: 1) las estructuras sociales complejas son reemplazadas por otras de características menos elaboradas en una etapa previa al despliegue de estructuras sociales más complejas, y 2) probablemente en forma paralela, se entrelazan principios heterárquicos y jerárquicos del orden social en proporciones cambiantes. Con la creciente demanda de una regulación de los elementos heterárquicos, estos desaparecen para ser sustituidos por estructuras jerárquicas corporativas y centrales, por lo que aparecen nuevas formas sedentarias de conflicto. El desarrollo de las formas de vida familiares y comunales atravesó, a manera de olas consecutivas, los diferentes paisajes del Levante meridional: estructuras familiares nucleares (en el PPNB Medio) fueron reemplazadas por estructuras familiares extensas corporativas (PPNB Tardío) y volvieron, luego, a su estado inicial (PPNB Final a PNA-B). Las comunidades heterárquicas (PPNA) se convirtieron en jerárquicas (PPNB Medio a PPNB Tardío) antes del surgimiento de comunidades heterárquicas pastoriles (PPNB Final a PNA-B) que coexistieron, en forma paralela, con asentamientos jerárquicos permanentes (PPNB Final a PNA-B). Las cualidades y la velocidad de este proceso general dependen, en forma especial, de factores ecológicos regionales e incluyen desarrollos regionales de carácter tanto reversible como conservador.

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“…Clay objects continue to be found at a larger number of sites across the region throughout the PPNA, into the PPNB (i.e. Es-Sifiya, Aswad, Nevalı Çori, Mureybet and Munhata: de Contenson 1995; Mahasneh & Gebel 1998;Morsch 2002: 145-47, 149, fig. 2;Ibáñez 2008: tbl.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracking the division of labour through handprints: Applying Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) to clay 'tokens’ in Neolithic West Asia

Bennison-Chapman¹,

Hager²

2018

Journal of Archaeological Science

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Geometric objects from LPPNB Es-Sifiya, Wadi Mujib, Jordan

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Reconsidering ‘Tokens’: The Neolithic Origins of Accounting or Multifunctional, Utilitarian Tools?

Reconsidering ‘Tokens’: The Neolithic Origins of Accounting or Multifunctional, Utilitarian Tools?

El surgimiento de sociedades sedentarias en el Levante meridional del Cercano Oriente

Tracking the division of labour through handprints: Applying Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) to clay 'tokens’ in Neolithic West Asia

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