New radiocarbon dates for the Later Neolithic of Northern Syria (original) (raw)

Mateiciucová, I. 2010: Tell Arbid Abyad - A New Late Neolithic Site in the Upper Khabur Basin, NE Syria: The Preliminary Report.

Tell Arbid Abyad is located about 12 km east of the famous Halafi an site of Chagar Bazar in northeast Syria. It is a small mound, approximately 2 m high covering about 0.5 ha. Owing to intensive agricultural activities and erosion it is almost indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape. The Czech archaeological project at Tell Arbid Abyad is joined to the Syrian-Polish Archaeological Expedition to Tell Arbid. The investigations of Tell Arbid Abyad yielded architectural remains, pottery, stone tools, sealing fragments, tokens and other objects. On the basis of pottery and radiocarbon dating, the site was settled during the Transitional (Proto-Halaf period) and Early Halaf periods. This paper discusses the fi rst results obtained during survey and fi eld work in 2005-2007.

Chronology of the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic settlement Tell Qaramel, northern Syria, in the light of radiocarbon dating

Archaeological excavations at the Syrian settlement of Tell Qaramel have been conducted since 1999. They are concentrated on remnants of the Protoneolithic and early stages of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period. The settlement has revealed an extremely rich collection of everyday use of flint, bone, and mostly stone objects, such as decorated chlorite or limestone vessels; shaft straighteners used to stretch wooden arrow shafts, richly decorated in geometrical, zoomorphic, and anthropomorphic patterns; as well as different kinds of stones, querns, mortars, pestles, grinders, polishing plates, celts, and adzes.

Cruells, W. and Nieuwenhuyse, O., 2004: "The Proto-Halaf Period in Syria. New sites, New data." Paléorient 30/1, pp. 47-68.

Paléorient, 2004

This paper intends to give a brief factual account of some of the new fieldwork projects in Syria that are now documenting a short transitional stage between the Pre-Halafand the Early Halaf. This stage, which for present purposes we have termed Proto-Halaf (about 6 100-5 950 cal. ВС), appears to have been a crucial time, during which the basis was laid for the subsequent Halaf phenomenon. Evidence gathered so far suggests that the transition from Pre-Halaf to Early Halaf happened fairly rapidly, within the course of only a few generations. What we have termed the Proto-Halaf period refers largely to changes observed in the ceramic assemblages. These we shall present geographically by discussing previously excavated sites while also including new discoveries that are changing our insights with almost every fieldwork season. We hope to offer a framework for further work on this crucial stage in Mesopotamian prehistory.

Molist, M., Anfruns, J., Bofill, M., Borrell, F., Buxo, R., Clop, X., Cruells, W., Faura, J. M., Ferrer, A., Gòmez, A., Guerrero, E., Tornero, C., Saña, M. and Vicente, O., 2013: "TELL HALULA (EUPHRATES VALLEY, SYRIA). NEW DATA FROM THE LATE NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT"

This paper presents new data about the 7th and 6th millennium cal. bce occupations at Tell Halula. A diachronic interpretation of that part of the sequence that covers the Pre- Halaf and Halaf periods is at the core of our contribution. We especially emphasize modes of the occupation of spaces, architecture and technology, as well as subsistence economy. Finally, we evaluate the evidence that supports the continuity of occupation at the site, factors that turn this stratigraphic sequence one of the most complete in the northern Levant.