Marie-Laure Chambrade | CEPAM - Université de Nice (original) (raw)
Books by Marie-Laure Chambrade
Western Harra Survey Project (Jordan) by Marie-Laure Chambrade
Archaeology in Jordan Newsletter: 2018 and 2019 Seasons, 2020
Archaeology in Jordan Newsletter, 2018
Original design by Jawad Hijazi Layout by Starling Carter Arabic site and project names compiled ... more Original design by Jawad Hijazi Layout by Starling Carter Arabic site and project names compiled by Samya Kafafi The Archaeology in Jordan Newsletter in an open access (OA) online publication by ACOR. All the original reports published in this journal are free to access immediately from the date of publication. We do not charge fees for any reader to download articles for their own scholarly or educational use. The Archaeology in Jordan Newletter operates under the Creative Commons Licence CC-BY-NC-ND. This allows for the reproduction of articles, free of charge, for non-commercial use only and with the appropriate citation information.
Geosciences, 2018
Recent developments in the availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery through platfor... more Recent developments in the availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery through platforms like GoogleEarth (Google, Santa Clara County, CA, USA) and Bing Maps (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) have greatly opened up the possibilities of their use by researchers. This paper focusses on the exclusive use of free remote sensing data by the Western Harra Survey (WHS), an archaeological project investigating the arid "Black Desert" of northeastern Jordan, a largely impenetrable landscape densely strewn with basalt blocks. The systematic analysis of such data by conducting a holistic satellite survey prior to the commencement of fieldwork allowed for the precise planning of ground surveys, with advanced knowledge of which sites were vehicle-accessible and how to efficiently visit a stratified sample of different site types. By subsequently correlating the obtained ground data with this analysis, it was possible to create a typological seriation of the site forms known as "wheels", determine that at least two-thirds of sites are within 500 m of valleys or mudflats (highlighting these features' roles as access routes and resource clusters) and identify numerous anthropogenic paths cleared through the basalt for site access and long-distance travel. These results offer new insights into this underrepresented region and allow for supra-regional comparisons with better investigated areas by a method that is rapid and cost-effective.
Water ressources and management by Marie-Laure Chambrade
Settlement Dynamics and Human-Landscape Interaction in the Dry Steppes of Syria, ed. by D. Morandi Bonacossi, 2014
The arid margins of northern Syria, until a short time ago next to unknown, especially with regar... more The arid margins of northern Syria, until a short time ago next to unknown, especially with regard to the prehistoric periods, proved a very interesting field of investigation. The large surface that has been surveyed – about 7000 sq. kilometres – and the good state of preservation of the vestiges have enhanced our understanding of the modalities of land occupation in a region suffering from considerable constraints due to aridity. At the outset, the existence of artesian springs in the centre of the surveyed region played an important role in the localization of human settlements. But the wish to profit from the resources, especially from game but probably also from raw materials, in sectors where the daily water supply was not sure, made the hunter-gatherers – perhaps since the Kebaran – look for means to mitigate the lack in water: first of all they are likely to have made use of the installation provided by nature in the way of the kamenitsas, natural basins receiving runoff water, later – with certainty since the late/final PPNB – they arranged, after the pattern of those kamenitsas, artificial “ponds” and had thus the possibility to explore and, above all, to settle temporarily in sectors that would otherwise have been particularly forbidding. Those settlements had diverse functions, sometimes specific ones such as the debitage of flint or hunting but mostly habitation; they were founded in micro-regions with diversified potentials, essentially relating to the exploitation of the fauna in the mountainous south-eastern part of the region. The adaptation to the climatic, hydrological and edaphic constraints in this sector achieved in the late/final PPNB was based on regular removals according to the seasonal availability of resources, a subsistence economy relying mainly on the exploitation of meat products and the use of innovative hydraulic techniques that were able to compensate for the difficult access to water.
Water History , 2020
Within the territory of the ancient province of Persia, which corresponds approximately to the pr... more Within the territory of the ancient province of Persia, which corresponds approximately to the present-day region of Fars in southern Iran, numerous remains of hydraulic structures are known and reported. These have rarely benefitted from detailed studies, however, which results in functional uncertainties and unconfirmed chronological suggestions, including in particular hasty attributions to the Achaemenid period. The territory of the plain of Pasargadae, situated at the center of this province, was well suited to irrigated agriculture, exemplified by the famous gardens created in the capital of Cyrus in the first period of the Achaemenid Empire. As the region is situated in a mountainous and semi-arid environment, irrigation is necessary for regular agricultural production throughout the year. The region of Pasargadae contains many hydraulic features that are relatively well preserved. However, their dating and their functions still remain unclear, which has stimulated new research and examination of all the evidence concerning the hydraulics, using a combination of methods and approaches, including systematic regional mapping, photo-interpretation, precise topographic readings, and dating experimentation through OSL analyses. This article presents a synthesising study of the remains of the Ju-i Dokhtar canal and the dam of Sa’adatshahr, which is located at the outlet of the canal. These structures probably formed the backbone of a system of water exploitation, that included all of the south-east part of the plain of Pasargadae and the plain of Sa’adatshahr further downstream.
Quaternary International
Located in the middle basin of the Pulvar river (Fars, Iran), Pasargadae was founded around 550 B... more Located in the middle basin of the Pulvar river (Fars, Iran), Pasargadae was founded around 550 BCE in the early days of the Achaemenid Empire. Its territory is dotted with remains of imposing hydraulic facilities (dams, dikes, canals), some of which date to that very period. The purposes and functions of these structures, built to exploit surface water, located in today's landscape (a deeply incised valley with temporary watercourses), raise questions and problems for which geomorphological studies provide major elements for consideration. Erosion of the Pleistocene glacis by the Pulvar and its tributaries caused several phases of alluvial deposition during the Holocene. They can be seen today in the Pasargadae region by examining the remains of three well-developed step-like terraces. These sedimentary units are primary archives for the reconstruction of river dynamics, and thus allow a better estimation of water availability. Since 2016, within the framework of a joint Iranian-French archaeological mission, several geo-archaeological campaigns have been carried out. Sediment analyses, C-14 dating and OSL dating of sediments collected in the alluvial formations, as well as in archaeological contexts, have been made to accurately reconstruct the variations over time in the Pulvar regime, as well as the past regional waterscape. From the beginning of the Holocene to the onset of the 1st millennium BCE, the Pulvar catchment area was marked by an aggradation phase, which led to the valley being filled with alluvial deposits. This sedimentary unit provided vast areas of arable land where cultivation could be enhanced by irrigation. The creation of water inlets in the Pulvar and its tributaries was at that time facilitated by riverbeds less incised than present-day ones. Ancient hydraulic systems reflect these geomorphological conditions, since they were built to manage higher water levels, as well as stronger flows, when compared to irrigation facilities developed in modern times.
Archéorient – Le Blog , Apr 17, 2015
Desert Kites by Marie-Laure Chambrade
In A. Betts & W.P. van Pelt (eds), The Gazelle's Dream: Game Drives of the Old and New Worlds, Adapa Monographs Series, Sydney: Sydney University Press, 2021
The Gazelle's Dream: Game Drives of the Old and New Worlds is the first comparative study of game... more The Gazelle's Dream: Game Drives of the Old and New Worlds is the first comparative study of game drives, examining this mode of hunting across three continents and a broad range of periods. The book describes the hunting of bison in North America, reindeer in Scandinavia, antelope in Tibet and an extensive array of examples from the greater Middle East, from Egypt to Armenia. The Gazelle's Dream will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of hunting and wildlife management.
Desert kites are found across a vast region. This paper presents a detailed description of kites ... more Desert kites are found across a vast region. This paper presents a detailed description of kites from the Harrat al-Shaam region (Jordan) and proposes a comparative study, as well as an analysis of the morphology and organisation of kites known from Mount Aragats (Armenia) and the Ustyurt Plateau (Kazakhstan). A complete inventory of the structures in each region highlights their architectural characteristics and their spatial distribution in the landscape. Some preliminary results were obtained by comparing both regions: the core area in eastern Jordan, and peripheries—sometimes very distant— such as in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Chronological data were also compared, when available. All these different and complementary aspects were finally combined with satellite imagery analyses. The interactive process between satellite images and fieldwork observations has enriched both approaches, while yielding preliminary key elements of interpretation for a better understanding of the kite phenomenon on a global scale.
""Many desert kites have recently (2010) been discovered on the basaltic slopes of Mount Aragats ... more ""Many desert kites have recently (2010) been discovered on the basaltic slopes of Mount Aragats in Armenia. The implementation of various complementary techniques (geomatics, statistical analyses, geoarchaeology, malacology, radiocarbon analysis) has enabled definition of their specificities. Isolated from the classic Syro-Jordanian zone, they are characterised by a certain simplicity, great morphological homogeneity, strongly related locations to the morphological characteristics of the mountain
massif, and dated between the Bronze Age and beginning of the Common Era.""
High-resolution satellite imagery publicly accessible on the Internet (e.g. Google Earth, Microso... more High-resolution satellite imagery publicly accessible on the Internet (e.g. Google Earth, Microsoft Bing) greatly facilitates the observation of large archaeological structures. This is particularly the case for 'desert kites', dry-stone constructions comprising long convergent walls with an associated enclosure. Recent publications have significantly increased the number of known kites, including in regions where they had never before been reported (e.g. Kennedy 2012; Kempe & Al-Malabeh 2013). Previous research projects have been numerous (e.g. Helms & Betts 1987; Échallier & Braemer 1995) but isolated and at a regional scale only. Additionally, researchers were regularly faced with a scarcity of archaeological material, which often had no clear stratigraphic relationship to the kite structures. Thus,
apart from a few isolated cases (Holzer et al. 2010), key issues such as dating kites and understanding their function have not been satisfactorily resolved. Hypotheses have been proposed based on historical evidence, rock carvings and faunal remains, some of them from sites interpreted as mass killing sites. These data are still insufficient, however, due to the unsystematic nature of the studies, and the current hypotheses cannot explain such a large spatial distribution (from the Arabian Peninsula to the Aralo-Caspian region) and presumably long chronology (from the Neolithic to sub-contemporary times).
This paper argues that the wide geographical distribution of desert kites, which are huge archaeo... more This paper argues that the wide geographical distribution of desert kites, which are huge archaeological structures of stone visible from satellite images, must be more broadly acknowledged as a momentous factor in the study of their variability and function. This is important so that researchers can more accurately understand and interpret their impact on biodiversity, landscapes and subsistence patterns. The first results and perspectives of the Globalkites research project are discussed and presented. Often considered as hunting traps, the kites could have also been used for animal husbandry. In a broader archaeological context, where kites seem to have been operating from the Neolithic to recent historical times, we propose an interdisciplinary approach at the crossroads of anthropology (archaeology and ethnology), geomatics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), geostatistics, mathematics and computerized data processing and geoarchaeological and bioarchaeological sciences (isotope studies, paleoclimatology, archaeozoology…). The principal aims of the project are to clearly articulate the variability of the structures and their relationship with the function and chronology of the kites. It is also crucial to discuss the wide distribution of these structures across the Middle East and Central Asia as a global phenomenon and the ideas that explain the dispersal and movements of people and/or traditions must be addressed.
Raw material circulation in prehistoric times by Marie-Laure Chambrade
Hala AlArAshi, Marie-Laure ChAmbrAde 1 2. Toutes les dates indiquées dans ce paragraphe sont cali... more Hala AlArAshi, Marie-Laure ChAmbrAde 1 2. Toutes les dates indiquées dans ce paragraphe sont calibrées.
Archaeology in Jordan Newsletter: 2018 and 2019 Seasons, 2020
Archaeology in Jordan Newsletter, 2018
Original design by Jawad Hijazi Layout by Starling Carter Arabic site and project names compiled ... more Original design by Jawad Hijazi Layout by Starling Carter Arabic site and project names compiled by Samya Kafafi The Archaeology in Jordan Newsletter in an open access (OA) online publication by ACOR. All the original reports published in this journal are free to access immediately from the date of publication. We do not charge fees for any reader to download articles for their own scholarly or educational use. The Archaeology in Jordan Newletter operates under the Creative Commons Licence CC-BY-NC-ND. This allows for the reproduction of articles, free of charge, for non-commercial use only and with the appropriate citation information.
Geosciences, 2018
Recent developments in the availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery through platfor... more Recent developments in the availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery through platforms like GoogleEarth (Google, Santa Clara County, CA, USA) and Bing Maps (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) have greatly opened up the possibilities of their use by researchers. This paper focusses on the exclusive use of free remote sensing data by the Western Harra Survey (WHS), an archaeological project investigating the arid "Black Desert" of northeastern Jordan, a largely impenetrable landscape densely strewn with basalt blocks. The systematic analysis of such data by conducting a holistic satellite survey prior to the commencement of fieldwork allowed for the precise planning of ground surveys, with advanced knowledge of which sites were vehicle-accessible and how to efficiently visit a stratified sample of different site types. By subsequently correlating the obtained ground data with this analysis, it was possible to create a typological seriation of the site forms known as "wheels", determine that at least two-thirds of sites are within 500 m of valleys or mudflats (highlighting these features' roles as access routes and resource clusters) and identify numerous anthropogenic paths cleared through the basalt for site access and long-distance travel. These results offer new insights into this underrepresented region and allow for supra-regional comparisons with better investigated areas by a method that is rapid and cost-effective.
Settlement Dynamics and Human-Landscape Interaction in the Dry Steppes of Syria, ed. by D. Morandi Bonacossi, 2014
The arid margins of northern Syria, until a short time ago next to unknown, especially with regar... more The arid margins of northern Syria, until a short time ago next to unknown, especially with regard to the prehistoric periods, proved a very interesting field of investigation. The large surface that has been surveyed – about 7000 sq. kilometres – and the good state of preservation of the vestiges have enhanced our understanding of the modalities of land occupation in a region suffering from considerable constraints due to aridity. At the outset, the existence of artesian springs in the centre of the surveyed region played an important role in the localization of human settlements. But the wish to profit from the resources, especially from game but probably also from raw materials, in sectors where the daily water supply was not sure, made the hunter-gatherers – perhaps since the Kebaran – look for means to mitigate the lack in water: first of all they are likely to have made use of the installation provided by nature in the way of the kamenitsas, natural basins receiving runoff water, later – with certainty since the late/final PPNB – they arranged, after the pattern of those kamenitsas, artificial “ponds” and had thus the possibility to explore and, above all, to settle temporarily in sectors that would otherwise have been particularly forbidding. Those settlements had diverse functions, sometimes specific ones such as the debitage of flint or hunting but mostly habitation; they were founded in micro-regions with diversified potentials, essentially relating to the exploitation of the fauna in the mountainous south-eastern part of the region. The adaptation to the climatic, hydrological and edaphic constraints in this sector achieved in the late/final PPNB was based on regular removals according to the seasonal availability of resources, a subsistence economy relying mainly on the exploitation of meat products and the use of innovative hydraulic techniques that were able to compensate for the difficult access to water.
Water History , 2020
Within the territory of the ancient province of Persia, which corresponds approximately to the pr... more Within the territory of the ancient province of Persia, which corresponds approximately to the present-day region of Fars in southern Iran, numerous remains of hydraulic structures are known and reported. These have rarely benefitted from detailed studies, however, which results in functional uncertainties and unconfirmed chronological suggestions, including in particular hasty attributions to the Achaemenid period. The territory of the plain of Pasargadae, situated at the center of this province, was well suited to irrigated agriculture, exemplified by the famous gardens created in the capital of Cyrus in the first period of the Achaemenid Empire. As the region is situated in a mountainous and semi-arid environment, irrigation is necessary for regular agricultural production throughout the year. The region of Pasargadae contains many hydraulic features that are relatively well preserved. However, their dating and their functions still remain unclear, which has stimulated new research and examination of all the evidence concerning the hydraulics, using a combination of methods and approaches, including systematic regional mapping, photo-interpretation, precise topographic readings, and dating experimentation through OSL analyses. This article presents a synthesising study of the remains of the Ju-i Dokhtar canal and the dam of Sa’adatshahr, which is located at the outlet of the canal. These structures probably formed the backbone of a system of water exploitation, that included all of the south-east part of the plain of Pasargadae and the plain of Sa’adatshahr further downstream.
Quaternary International
Located in the middle basin of the Pulvar river (Fars, Iran), Pasargadae was founded around 550 B... more Located in the middle basin of the Pulvar river (Fars, Iran), Pasargadae was founded around 550 BCE in the early days of the Achaemenid Empire. Its territory is dotted with remains of imposing hydraulic facilities (dams, dikes, canals), some of which date to that very period. The purposes and functions of these structures, built to exploit surface water, located in today's landscape (a deeply incised valley with temporary watercourses), raise questions and problems for which geomorphological studies provide major elements for consideration. Erosion of the Pleistocene glacis by the Pulvar and its tributaries caused several phases of alluvial deposition during the Holocene. They can be seen today in the Pasargadae region by examining the remains of three well-developed step-like terraces. These sedimentary units are primary archives for the reconstruction of river dynamics, and thus allow a better estimation of water availability. Since 2016, within the framework of a joint Iranian-French archaeological mission, several geo-archaeological campaigns have been carried out. Sediment analyses, C-14 dating and OSL dating of sediments collected in the alluvial formations, as well as in archaeological contexts, have been made to accurately reconstruct the variations over time in the Pulvar regime, as well as the past regional waterscape. From the beginning of the Holocene to the onset of the 1st millennium BCE, the Pulvar catchment area was marked by an aggradation phase, which led to the valley being filled with alluvial deposits. This sedimentary unit provided vast areas of arable land where cultivation could be enhanced by irrigation. The creation of water inlets in the Pulvar and its tributaries was at that time facilitated by riverbeds less incised than present-day ones. Ancient hydraulic systems reflect these geomorphological conditions, since they were built to manage higher water levels, as well as stronger flows, when compared to irrigation facilities developed in modern times.
Archéorient – Le Blog , Apr 17, 2015
In A. Betts & W.P. van Pelt (eds), The Gazelle's Dream: Game Drives of the Old and New Worlds, Adapa Monographs Series, Sydney: Sydney University Press, 2021
The Gazelle's Dream: Game Drives of the Old and New Worlds is the first comparative study of game... more The Gazelle's Dream: Game Drives of the Old and New Worlds is the first comparative study of game drives, examining this mode of hunting across three continents and a broad range of periods. The book describes the hunting of bison in North America, reindeer in Scandinavia, antelope in Tibet and an extensive array of examples from the greater Middle East, from Egypt to Armenia. The Gazelle's Dream will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of hunting and wildlife management.
Desert kites are found across a vast region. This paper presents a detailed description of kites ... more Desert kites are found across a vast region. This paper presents a detailed description of kites from the Harrat al-Shaam region (Jordan) and proposes a comparative study, as well as an analysis of the morphology and organisation of kites known from Mount Aragats (Armenia) and the Ustyurt Plateau (Kazakhstan). A complete inventory of the structures in each region highlights their architectural characteristics and their spatial distribution in the landscape. Some preliminary results were obtained by comparing both regions: the core area in eastern Jordan, and peripheries—sometimes very distant— such as in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Chronological data were also compared, when available. All these different and complementary aspects were finally combined with satellite imagery analyses. The interactive process between satellite images and fieldwork observations has enriched both approaches, while yielding preliminary key elements of interpretation for a better understanding of the kite phenomenon on a global scale.
""Many desert kites have recently (2010) been discovered on the basaltic slopes of Mount Aragats ... more ""Many desert kites have recently (2010) been discovered on the basaltic slopes of Mount Aragats in Armenia. The implementation of various complementary techniques (geomatics, statistical analyses, geoarchaeology, malacology, radiocarbon analysis) has enabled definition of their specificities. Isolated from the classic Syro-Jordanian zone, they are characterised by a certain simplicity, great morphological homogeneity, strongly related locations to the morphological characteristics of the mountain
massif, and dated between the Bronze Age and beginning of the Common Era.""
High-resolution satellite imagery publicly accessible on the Internet (e.g. Google Earth, Microso... more High-resolution satellite imagery publicly accessible on the Internet (e.g. Google Earth, Microsoft Bing) greatly facilitates the observation of large archaeological structures. This is particularly the case for 'desert kites', dry-stone constructions comprising long convergent walls with an associated enclosure. Recent publications have significantly increased the number of known kites, including in regions where they had never before been reported (e.g. Kennedy 2012; Kempe & Al-Malabeh 2013). Previous research projects have been numerous (e.g. Helms & Betts 1987; Échallier & Braemer 1995) but isolated and at a regional scale only. Additionally, researchers were regularly faced with a scarcity of archaeological material, which often had no clear stratigraphic relationship to the kite structures. Thus,
apart from a few isolated cases (Holzer et al. 2010), key issues such as dating kites and understanding their function have not been satisfactorily resolved. Hypotheses have been proposed based on historical evidence, rock carvings and faunal remains, some of them from sites interpreted as mass killing sites. These data are still insufficient, however, due to the unsystematic nature of the studies, and the current hypotheses cannot explain such a large spatial distribution (from the Arabian Peninsula to the Aralo-Caspian region) and presumably long chronology (from the Neolithic to sub-contemporary times).
This paper argues that the wide geographical distribution of desert kites, which are huge archaeo... more This paper argues that the wide geographical distribution of desert kites, which are huge archaeological structures of stone visible from satellite images, must be more broadly acknowledged as a momentous factor in the study of their variability and function. This is important so that researchers can more accurately understand and interpret their impact on biodiversity, landscapes and subsistence patterns. The first results and perspectives of the Globalkites research project are discussed and presented. Often considered as hunting traps, the kites could have also been used for animal husbandry. In a broader archaeological context, where kites seem to have been operating from the Neolithic to recent historical times, we propose an interdisciplinary approach at the crossroads of anthropology (archaeology and ethnology), geomatics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), geostatistics, mathematics and computerized data processing and geoarchaeological and bioarchaeological sciences (isotope studies, paleoclimatology, archaeozoology…). The principal aims of the project are to clearly articulate the variability of the structures and their relationship with the function and chronology of the kites. It is also crucial to discuss the wide distribution of these structures across the Middle East and Central Asia as a global phenomenon and the ideas that explain the dispersal and movements of people and/or traditions must be addressed.
Hala AlArAshi, Marie-Laure ChAmbrAde 1 2. Toutes les dates indiquées dans ce paragraphe sont cali... more Hala AlArAshi, Marie-Laure ChAmbrAde 1 2. Toutes les dates indiquées dans ce paragraphe sont calibrées.
"A large number of stone beads were found on the Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic site of Mureybet. ... more "A large number of stone beads were found on the Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic site of Mureybet. The mineral composition of more than 50% of the artefacts was analyzed using the X-ray diffraction method. The results have revealed an exogenous origin for 62% of the raw materials. Some of which could have an Anatolian origin.
How these materials did they get on the site? The forms of acquisition were probably subjected to quite complex socio-economic and cultural rules. From a theoretical point of view, we can consider several possibilities: direct acquisition from sources, collection of materials carried by rivers nearby the site, indirect acquisition by a trade or exchange system. In order to better define the question about acquisition, we have to try to find an answer to a second one: what was the degree of transformation of these materials? Did they arrive to the site as raw materials or as finished items?
This multidisciplinary study, try to answer those questions with the help of two methodological approaches: 1) the methods usually applied to beads study, like typological and technological analyses or the study of the archaeological context of the artefacts; 2) the geographical methods dealing with the question of circulation pathways in specific environmental context with the help of GIS. The results obtained by both methods are crossed and several hypotheses of circulation pathways of men and materials, between Anatolia and Mureybet, are proposed for each chronocultural periods.
"
in V. Matoïan (dir.), Archéologie, patrimoine et archives I, Les fouilles anciennes à Ras Shamra et à Minet el-Beida, Ras Shamra – Ougarit XXV, 2017
This pdf is a digital offprint of your contribution in V. Matoïan (ed.), Archéologie, patrimoine ... more This pdf is a digital offprint of your contribution in V. Matoïan (ed.), Archéologie, patrimoine et archives. Les fouilles anciennes à Ras
in V. Matoïan (éd.), Archéologie, patrimoine et archives, Les fouilles anciennes à Ras Shamra et à Minet el-Beida II, Ras Shamra – Ougarit XXVI, 2019
Avec cette deuxième livraison, ce sont six cartes ou ensembles de cartes, accompagnés de leurs co... more Avec cette deuxième livraison, ce sont six cartes ou ensembles de cartes, accompagnés de leurs commentaires (voir la liste ci-dessous) qui auront été publiées, dans le dessein de préciser les réalités composites qui font la particularité d’une région, en l’occurrence celle de Ras Shamra-Ougarit.
"La Syrie intérieure est composée d’une mosaïque de milieux et de micromilieux dont les caractéri... more "La Syrie intérieure est composée d’une mosaïque de milieux et de micromilieux dont les caractéristiques lithologiques, édaphiques et hydrologiques permettent de compenser l’aridité climatique, ou renforcent au contraire les contraintes imposées aux modes de vie et de subsistance, de nos jours comme par le passé. Cette étude multiscalaire – supra-régionale, régionale et microrégionale – de l’environnement des sites PPNA et PPNB (9 500-6 500 av. J.-C.) a permis de comprendre comment ont pu être opérés les choix d’implantation, définies les stratégies de subsistance et l’exploitation des ressources. Au-delà des critères évidents orientant les choix des lieux d’implantation, tel que l’accès à une ressource en eau, il a été démontré que les communautés néolithiques ont très tôt sélectionné des lieux d’installation bénéficiant de milieux propices aux pratiques agricoles et de terroirs complémentaires permettant de mettre en œuvre des stratégies culturales diversifiées. Leur capacité d’adaptation à un milieu contraignant, le développement progressif des activités agro-pastorales ainsi que leur maîtrise croissante de l’eau, leur ont permis de coloniser l’ensemble de la Syrie intérieure aux PPNB récent et final. Les prémices du nomadisme pastoral seraient nées dans ce contexte, et dès lors que l’élevage fut maîtrisé, d’une recherche par les groupes mobiles du mode de vie et de subsistance le plus adapté aux contraintes de la steppe. Cette étude a par ailleurs permis de tester à grande échelle – spatiale et temporelle – une méthode d’analyse microrégionale, s’inspirant de la démarche de type Site Exploitation Territory, et d’en faire l’analyse critique avec comme objectif l’élaboration ultérieure d’un modèle d’analyse plus abouti, si possible en concertation avec les spécialistes des disciplines concernées par ces problématiques.
Inland Syria is made up of an environment and microenvironment mosaic with specific lithological, edaphic and hydrological characteristics which compensate climatic aridity or, on the contrary, increase the pressure imposed on settlement and subsistence strategies, nowadays as in the past. This multi-scalar study – supra-regional, regional and micro-regional – of PPNA and PPNB (9 500-6 500 BC) sites environment allowed to understand settlement choices, subsistence patterns and resources exploitation. Beyond the obvious criteria that have oriented the choices of settlement places, like the access to a water resource, it was demonstrated that the Neolithic communities have early selected settlement places with environment suitable for crop processing and complementary land to conduct varied farming strategies. Their adaptability to a restrictive environment, the progressive development of agro-pastoral activities and also their increasingly water controlling, allowed them to colonize the whole inland Syria during recent and final PPNB. The beginnings of pastoral nomadism could have emerged in this context, since the husbandry is well controlled, from the research by mobile groups of the best adapted settlement and subsistence pattern to the steppe pressure. In addition, this study has allowed us to carry out a large scale test – spatial and temporal – of a micro-regional analysis method, based on a Site Exploitation Territory approach, in order to elaborate in the future a complete analysis model, in collaboration with the specialists involved in that kind of study."
The city of Al-Rawda is situated in the Fertile Croissant’s margins, in the transition area betwe... more The city of Al-Rawda is situated in the Fertile Croissant’s margins, in the transition area between the mediterranean bioclimatic zone and the hyperarid steppe. The region is characterized by low and irregular rainfall. The constraints linked to the climatic aridity and seasonality, regarding settlement patterns and agro-pastoral strategies, can however be compensated, or on the contrary accentuated, by local geomorphologic, hydrologic and edaphic conditions. Besides, those conditions sometimes require adapted constructions and practices. The diversified milieus composing the microregion of Al-Rawda are no exception to this rule. Some of these milieus, such as the faydas, are for example favourable to farming and Al-Rawda is ideally situated in one of them. But today’s conditions sometimes reflect only partially past conditions. Topography and hydrography of the fayda seem to have been quite different at the time of the foundation of the city than today, and their modifications, at least in part, due to the presence of the city. Those changes may have encouraged farming of which we have probably pieces of evidence like constructions in the fayda. Other similar constructions (plot’s walls, dikes, etc.) have been also discovered elsewhere in the microregion. Their dating is more delicate but tend to be Early Bronze.
We are pleased to invite you to participate to the session “Advances in tracing the origin and ci... more We are pleased to invite you to participate to the session “Advances in tracing the origin and circulationof mineral-based prestige items in the prehistory of the Middle East and itsadjacent regions”. This session is part of the “Raw materials exploitation in Prehistory: sourcing, processing and distribution” symposium, to be held 10th-12th of March 2016 in Faro, Portugal.
Please note that the deadline for proposals will expire next October 15th, 2015.
You can find more information about submission on the symposium webpage http://www.rawmaterials2016.com/
by Anja Slawisch, Lutgarde Vandeput, Peter Talloen, Jacopo Turchetto, Anthony Comfort, Francesco Di Filippo, Matthew Harpster, Marie-Laure Chambrade, Tom Sinclair, Andreas Külzer, Glen L Thompson, Hala Alarashi, Paul A Iversen, Adam Kryszen, Mark Wilson, Ahmet Cinici, Stephen Mitchell, Shannon Martino, and Hugh Elton