Méry Sophie | Maison René Ginouvès (CNRS-Université Paris I-Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense-Ministère de la Culture) (original) (raw)
Papers by Méry Sophie
sophie-mery.fr
Les techniques de façonnage céramique mettant en jeu la rotation à Hili (Émirats arabes unis) à l... more Les techniques de façonnage céramique mettant en jeu la rotation à Hili (Émirats arabes unis) à la fin du iii e millénaire (âge du Bronze ancien)
The Neolithic period in Eastern Arabia is atypical : No agriculture, use of Mesopotamian (Ubaid) ... more The Neolithic period in Eastern Arabia is atypical : No agriculture, use of Mesopotamian (Ubaid) pottery vessels from 5 500 cal. BCE but no local pottery production except in the Northern and Central Arabian Gulf. It is characterized by a subsistence economy
based on the exploitation of domestic herbivores and dogs, on hunting, and on the intensive fisheries - often selective, specialized and sometimes even dangerous. The other notable feature is the density of the exchanges over long distances. In addition to
the restitution of the exchange networks, at different scales, the question of the mobility of these Neolithic communities has been debated since the 1980s. However, local and micro-regional mobility patterns have only been proposed by scholars, but are more or
less verified and verifiable in the data status, and methods.
The subsistence strategies of coastal Neolithic groups in eastern Arabia, reliant upon the exploi... more The subsistence strategies of coastal Neolithic groups in eastern Arabia, reliant upon the exploitation of marine and terrestrial animal resources, are not yet fully understood. A central question in relevant literature is the issue of mobility. This is the reason for excavations in Umm al-Quwain (UAQ2), UAE, from 2011 by the French Archaeological Mission. UAQ2 is a site with obvious potential, occupied for 1500 years from the mid-sixth millennium BC. It has an area of approximately 6 ha with 3.2 m or more of imposing and unusual stratigraphy. A large quantity of faunal remains, including terrestrial and marine vertebrates, was recovered from UAQ2. The terrestrial mammals are composed mainly of domestic herbivores including caprines, cattle, and dogs. The most striking feature is the number of newly born and young animals among the small herbivores, a clear indication of occupation during late winter/spring. As for the fish bones, the following taxa were identified: requiem sharks, shark-suckers, marine catfish, needlefish, jacks/trevallies, milkfish, mojarra, emperors, snappers, mullet, flatheads, shortfin flounders, parrotfish, kawakawa, tuna, groupers, sea bream, barracuda, puffer, and tripod fish. These indicate that most fishing was carried out in the shallow lagoon area, but some fishing for tuna may have been carried out in the open seas beyond the local lagoon. Besides fish were also the remains of cuttlefish and swimming crabs. This assemblage provides new information on the mixed exploitation of inland and marine resources during the sixth to fifth millennium BC. The integrated study of the faunal remains contributes to the proposal of a possible year-round residency, not excluding coastal mobility.
animal resources, are not yet fully understood. A central question in relevant literature is the ... more animal resources, are not yet fully understood. A central question in relevant literature is the issue of mobility. This is the reason for excavations in Umm al-Quwain (UAQ2), UAE, from 2011 by the French Archaeological Mission. UAQ2 is a site with obvious potential, occupied for 1500 years from the mid-sixth millennium BC. It has an area of approximately 6 ha with 3.2 m or more of
imposing and unusual stratigraphy. A large quantity of faunal remains, including terrestrial and marine vertebrates, was recovered from UAQ2. The terrestrial mammals are composed mainly of domestic herbivores including caprines, cattle, and dogs. The most
striking feature is the number of newly born and young animals among the small herbivores, a clear indication of occupation during late winter/spring. As for the fish bones, the following taxa were identified: requiem sharks, shark-suckers, marine catfish, needlefish, jacks/trevallies, milkfish, mojarra, emperors, snappers, mullet, flatheads, shortfin flounders, parrotfish, kawakawa, tuna, groupers, sea bream, barracuda, puffer, and tripod fish. These indicate that most fishing was carried out in the shallow lagoon area,
but some fishing for tuna may have been carried out in the open seas beyond the local lagoon. Besides fish were also the remains of cuttlefish and swimming crabs. This assemblage provides new information on the mixed exploitation of inland and marine resources during the sixth to fifth millennium BC. The integrated study of the faunal remains contributes to the proposal of a possible yearround residency, not excluding coastal mobility.
From ca. 2600 BC to 2100–2000 BC, during the Umm an-Nar period, the pottery assemblages of easter... more From ca. 2600 BC to 2100–2000 BC, during the Umm an-Nar period, the pottery assemblages of eastern Arabia presentnumerous and varied affinities with those of the Kech Makran in Pakistan and the assemblages of the regions of Iranian Kerman and Seistan. The results of neutron activation (by M.--J. Bla,ckman and S. Méry) and,thin section analyses (by S. Méry) of samples of pottery show that the composition of the pottery local productions from the Dasht plain in Kech Makran is similar to that of most of the Emir style pottery that we tested from Umm an-Nar sites. This applies mainly to the fine grey painted or incised wares. It is true that these vessels were also produced with local very fine potter's clay in the Oman peninsula, but the proportion of such replicas appears very limited in comparison with imported pottery.
The Hili archaeological complex in Al Ain (U.A.E.) is important for its wealth of third-millenniu... more The Hili archaeological complex in Al Ain (U.A.E.) is important for its wealth of third-millennium BC Umm an-Nar burial and settlement sites. Two of the most significant burial sites are Tomb N at Hili and Tomb A Hili North. The latter is a classic circular Umm an-Nar monumental grave, while Hili N is a pit-grave, one of only two Umm an-Nar period pit-graves discovered so far in the U.A.E. Both of these tombs contained the remains of hundreds of individuals, in the case of Tomb A Hili North, more than 300, while around 600 people had been deposited in Hili N. Both population groups have been the subject of anthropological and artefactual analyses and a comparison of the findings help to shed light on the chronology of the end of the Umman-Nar period.
Along the 150-km coastline of Masirah, 127 archaeological sites were discovered through surveys c... more Along the 150-km coastline of Masirah, 127 archaeological sites were discovered through surveys carried out in January–February 2012. The island is the largest off the Sultanate of Oman and possesses great archaeological potential, especially for the Neolithic period, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Shell middens, some of which are very large, and many small workshops are related to the production of ornaments in shell or stone. The site of Ra’s Dah (SM-10) has proved to be the oldest identified Neolithic occupation in Oman today. Finally, more than 250 km south of Ra’s al-Hadd, the discovery of two Early Bronze Age sites, dating to the Umm an-Nar period, considerably increases the area of the ‘Magan Civilization’, and with it that of the diffusion of goods from the Indus Civilization.
This paper presents the results of research carried out between 1998 and 2008 at Hili (eastern re... more This paper presents the results of research carried out between 1998 and 2008 at Hili (eastern region of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), by a multidisciplinary team consisting of archaeologists, archaeological scientists, anthropologists, geologists, potters and stonecutters. The research incorporated the excavation of a collective pit-grave from the end of the Umm an-Nar Period, the study of the extraction, cutting, and setting up of the stone used to construct EBA tombs at Jebel Aqlah and Hili, and the study of local techniques of pottery fabrication at the end of the 3 rd millennium BC.
This paper reviews the evidence for Neolithic burial practices in SE Arabia, focusing in particul... more This paper reviews the evidence for Neolithic burial practices in SE Arabia, focusing in particular on sites in the Ja'alan region of eastern Oman. Attention is given to the nature of material buried with human remains, including jewellery and, most interestingly, the bones and shells of green turtles in the burials of Ra's al-Hamra 5 and 10. The paper concludes with a discussion of the possible evidence for "necrophobia" at the 5 th millennium BC Neolithic necropolis of Suwayh 1.
sophie-mery.fr
Les techniques de façonnage céramique mettant en jeu la rotation à Hili (Émirats arabes unis) à l... more Les techniques de façonnage céramique mettant en jeu la rotation à Hili (Émirats arabes unis) à la fin du iii e millénaire (âge du Bronze ancien)
The Neolithic period in Eastern Arabia is atypical : No agriculture, use of Mesopotamian (Ubaid) ... more The Neolithic period in Eastern Arabia is atypical : No agriculture, use of Mesopotamian (Ubaid) pottery vessels from 5 500 cal. BCE but no local pottery production except in the Northern and Central Arabian Gulf. It is characterized by a subsistence economy
based on the exploitation of domestic herbivores and dogs, on hunting, and on the intensive fisheries - often selective, specialized and sometimes even dangerous. The other notable feature is the density of the exchanges over long distances. In addition to
the restitution of the exchange networks, at different scales, the question of the mobility of these Neolithic communities has been debated since the 1980s. However, local and micro-regional mobility patterns have only been proposed by scholars, but are more or
less verified and verifiable in the data status, and methods.
The subsistence strategies of coastal Neolithic groups in eastern Arabia, reliant upon the exploi... more The subsistence strategies of coastal Neolithic groups in eastern Arabia, reliant upon the exploitation of marine and terrestrial animal resources, are not yet fully understood. A central question in relevant literature is the issue of mobility. This is the reason for excavations in Umm al-Quwain (UAQ2), UAE, from 2011 by the French Archaeological Mission. UAQ2 is a site with obvious potential, occupied for 1500 years from the mid-sixth millennium BC. It has an area of approximately 6 ha with 3.2 m or more of imposing and unusual stratigraphy. A large quantity of faunal remains, including terrestrial and marine vertebrates, was recovered from UAQ2. The terrestrial mammals are composed mainly of domestic herbivores including caprines, cattle, and dogs. The most striking feature is the number of newly born and young animals among the small herbivores, a clear indication of occupation during late winter/spring. As for the fish bones, the following taxa were identified: requiem sharks, shark-suckers, marine catfish, needlefish, jacks/trevallies, milkfish, mojarra, emperors, snappers, mullet, flatheads, shortfin flounders, parrotfish, kawakawa, tuna, groupers, sea bream, barracuda, puffer, and tripod fish. These indicate that most fishing was carried out in the shallow lagoon area, but some fishing for tuna may have been carried out in the open seas beyond the local lagoon. Besides fish were also the remains of cuttlefish and swimming crabs. This assemblage provides new information on the mixed exploitation of inland and marine resources during the sixth to fifth millennium BC. The integrated study of the faunal remains contributes to the proposal of a possible year-round residency, not excluding coastal mobility.
animal resources, are not yet fully understood. A central question in relevant literature is the ... more animal resources, are not yet fully understood. A central question in relevant literature is the issue of mobility. This is the reason for excavations in Umm al-Quwain (UAQ2), UAE, from 2011 by the French Archaeological Mission. UAQ2 is a site with obvious potential, occupied for 1500 years from the mid-sixth millennium BC. It has an area of approximately 6 ha with 3.2 m or more of
imposing and unusual stratigraphy. A large quantity of faunal remains, including terrestrial and marine vertebrates, was recovered from UAQ2. The terrestrial mammals are composed mainly of domestic herbivores including caprines, cattle, and dogs. The most
striking feature is the number of newly born and young animals among the small herbivores, a clear indication of occupation during late winter/spring. As for the fish bones, the following taxa were identified: requiem sharks, shark-suckers, marine catfish, needlefish, jacks/trevallies, milkfish, mojarra, emperors, snappers, mullet, flatheads, shortfin flounders, parrotfish, kawakawa, tuna, groupers, sea bream, barracuda, puffer, and tripod fish. These indicate that most fishing was carried out in the shallow lagoon area,
but some fishing for tuna may have been carried out in the open seas beyond the local lagoon. Besides fish were also the remains of cuttlefish and swimming crabs. This assemblage provides new information on the mixed exploitation of inland and marine resources during the sixth to fifth millennium BC. The integrated study of the faunal remains contributes to the proposal of a possible yearround residency, not excluding coastal mobility.
From ca. 2600 BC to 2100–2000 BC, during the Umm an-Nar period, the pottery assemblages of easter... more From ca. 2600 BC to 2100–2000 BC, during the Umm an-Nar period, the pottery assemblages of eastern Arabia presentnumerous and varied affinities with those of the Kech Makran in Pakistan and the assemblages of the regions of Iranian Kerman and Seistan. The results of neutron activation (by M.--J. Bla,ckman and S. Méry) and,thin section analyses (by S. Méry) of samples of pottery show that the composition of the pottery local productions from the Dasht plain in Kech Makran is similar to that of most of the Emir style pottery that we tested from Umm an-Nar sites. This applies mainly to the fine grey painted or incised wares. It is true that these vessels were also produced with local very fine potter's clay in the Oman peninsula, but the proportion of such replicas appears very limited in comparison with imported pottery.
The Hili archaeological complex in Al Ain (U.A.E.) is important for its wealth of third-millenniu... more The Hili archaeological complex in Al Ain (U.A.E.) is important for its wealth of third-millennium BC Umm an-Nar burial and settlement sites. Two of the most significant burial sites are Tomb N at Hili and Tomb A Hili North. The latter is a classic circular Umm an-Nar monumental grave, while Hili N is a pit-grave, one of only two Umm an-Nar period pit-graves discovered so far in the U.A.E. Both of these tombs contained the remains of hundreds of individuals, in the case of Tomb A Hili North, more than 300, while around 600 people had been deposited in Hili N. Both population groups have been the subject of anthropological and artefactual analyses and a comparison of the findings help to shed light on the chronology of the end of the Umman-Nar period.
Along the 150-km coastline of Masirah, 127 archaeological sites were discovered through surveys c... more Along the 150-km coastline of Masirah, 127 archaeological sites were discovered through surveys carried out in January–February 2012. The island is the largest off the Sultanate of Oman and possesses great archaeological potential, especially for the Neolithic period, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Shell middens, some of which are very large, and many small workshops are related to the production of ornaments in shell or stone. The site of Ra’s Dah (SM-10) has proved to be the oldest identified Neolithic occupation in Oman today. Finally, more than 250 km south of Ra’s al-Hadd, the discovery of two Early Bronze Age sites, dating to the Umm an-Nar period, considerably increases the area of the ‘Magan Civilization’, and with it that of the diffusion of goods from the Indus Civilization.
This paper presents the results of research carried out between 1998 and 2008 at Hili (eastern re... more This paper presents the results of research carried out between 1998 and 2008 at Hili (eastern region of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), by a multidisciplinary team consisting of archaeologists, archaeological scientists, anthropologists, geologists, potters and stonecutters. The research incorporated the excavation of a collective pit-grave from the end of the Umm an-Nar Period, the study of the extraction, cutting, and setting up of the stone used to construct EBA tombs at Jebel Aqlah and Hili, and the study of local techniques of pottery fabrication at the end of the 3 rd millennium BC.
This paper reviews the evidence for Neolithic burial practices in SE Arabia, focusing in particul... more This paper reviews the evidence for Neolithic burial practices in SE Arabia, focusing in particular on sites in the Ja'alan region of eastern Oman. Attention is given to the nature of material buried with human remains, including jewellery and, most interestingly, the bones and shells of green turtles in the burials of Ra's al-Hamra 5 and 10. The paper concludes with a discussion of the possible evidence for "necrophobia" at the 5 th millennium BC Neolithic necropolis of Suwayh 1.