Pre-Classical Activity in the Basalt Landscape of the Homs Region, Syria: Implications for the Development of 'Sub-Optimal' Zones in the Levant During the Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age

Gibbons, Philip; Bradbury, Jennie

doi:10.1179/175638010x12797237885659

Cited by 35 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Such sources indicate that the moister belt featured a diversified land-use of wheat/barley and lentils with vineyards (and in western Syria, olives), whereas the dry zone to the east and southeast has traditionally been given over to semi-arid pasture dominated by nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists, superseded in more recent times by barley mono-cropping (Cocks 1988;Wilkinson 2000b). Where mean annual rainfall exceeds 300 mm, local village flocks can be grazed on the village lands or taken to nearby sub-optimal areas as parts of a simple seasonal round (Philip and Bradbury 2010). On the other hand, in the semi-arid climatically marginal belt pasture lands are more extensive and flocks can range more widely.…”

Section: The Zone Of Uncertainty and Ecologies Of Riskmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the former case, contemporary activity in neighbouring landscapes of contrasting geology or topography which show different archaeological signatures may imply that the two landscapes formed a semi-integrated system of land-use, for which we have no direct evidence (Philip and Bradbury 2010;Bradbury 2011). Connectivity is also evident in interpretations of ideational landscapes, specifically with respect to the 'round' of ritual visits made by members of the royal household to shrines and other venerated places, as mentioned in the Ebla texts (Ristvet 2011).…”

Section: Connectivity and Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Along the main water courses this takes the form of small, c. 1 ha, settlements of unclear morphology, frequently buried below later tells or modern villages, and groups of stone enclosures on the higher ground (Philip and Bradbury 2010).…”

Section: The Early Bronze Agementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Philip and Bradbury (2010, p. 138) apply the term 'sub-optimal' to regions that, although by no means prime agricultural land, can offer considerable economic potential under certain circumstances. A case in point is the stony basalt terrain west of Homs, an area that was settled episodically and provides insights into the role of terrain beyond the alluvial corridors and plains (Case 4; Philip and Bradbury 2010).…”

Section: Uplandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…• The Homs Region Survey (Syria): directed by Graham Philip, Farid Jabbour and Michel al-Maqdissi since 1999 (Philip et al 2002(Philip et al , 2005Philip 2007;Philip and Bradbury 2010). …”

Section: Survey Areas (Figs 2 4)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Contextualizing Early Urbanization: Settlement Cores, Early States and Agro-pastoral Strategies in the Fertile Crescent During the Fourth and Third Millennia BC

et al. 2014

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This paper employs data from selected sample survey areas in the northern Fertile Crescent to demonstrate how initial urbanization developed along several pathways. The first, during the Late Chalcolithic period, was within a dense pattern of rural settlement. There followed a profound shift in settlement pattern that resulted in the formation of large walled or ramparted sites ('citadel cities') associated with a more dynamic phase of urbanization exemplified by short cycles of growth and collapse. By the later third millennium BC, the distribution of larger centres had expanded to include the drier agropastoral zone of northern and central Syria, termed here the 'zone of uncertainty'. This configuration, in turn, formed the context for Middle Bronze Age settlement, and the pattern of political rivalries and alliances that typified the second millennium BC. Evidence is marshalled from archaeological surveys and landscape analyses to examine these multiple paths to urbanization from the perspectives of (a) staple production within major 123J World Prehist (2014) 27:43-109 DOI 10.1007/s10963-014-9072-2 agricultural lowlands; (b) the shift towards higher risk animal husbandry within climatically marginal regions; (c) changes in local and inter-regional networks (connectivity); and (d) ties and rights to the land. Textile production forms the core of the proposed model, which emphasizes how the demand for wool and associated pasture lands opened up new landscapes for agro-pastoral production and settlement. The resultant landscapes of settlement are then compared with the picture in the southern Levant where a more restricted zone of uncertainty may have limited the opportunities for agro-pastoral production.

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Section: The Zone Of Uncertainty and Ecologies Of Riskmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Connectivity and Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Early Bronze Agementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Uplandsmentioning

confidence: 99%