Origins of Specialized Pastoralism in Northern Mesopotamia

Description:

This project centers on the examination of faunal remains from the 3rd millennium BC deposits of five Syrian sites - 'Atij, Gudeda, Ziyadeh, Raqa'i, and Leilan. These settlements, located in the Khabur Basin, witnessed significant population reorganization associated with the eventual urbanization that this region experienced over the 1,000-year period of interest. Through study of the faunal material, changes in the composition and management of animal resources will be charted in order to detect patterns in the procurement and distribution of animal-based products. These data will be analyzed in light of the known material culture, botanical remains, and textual information of the region in order to better illuminate socio-economic aspects of the process of early urban development in Northern Mesopotamia.