Retracing the steppes : a zooarchaeological analysis of changing
subsistence patterns in the late Neolithic at Tell Sabi Abyad, northern Syria, c. 6900 to 5900 BC
Russell, A.L.
Citation
Russell, A. L. (2010, September 30). Retracing the steppes : a zooarchaeological analysis of changing subsistence patterns in the late Neolithic at Tell Sabi Abyad, northern Syria, c.
6900 to 5900 BC. Universiteit Leiden, Leiden. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/16001
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License: Licence agreement concerning inclusion of doctoral thesis in the Institutional Repository of the University of Leiden
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RETRACING THE STEPPES
A Zooarchaeological Analysis of Changing Subsistence Patterns in the Late Neolithic at Tell Sabi Abyad, Northern Syria, c. 6900 to 5900 BC
Proefschrift
Ter verkrijging van
de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit van Leiden, op gezag van Rector Magnificus prof. mr. P.F. van der Heijden,
volgens het besluit van het College voor Promoties te verdedigen op donderdag 30 september 2010
klokke 15:15 uur
door
Anna Russell
Geboren te Chester, UK
in 1982
- ii - Promotor: Prof. Dr. J. Van Der Plicht
Promotor: Prof. Dr. P. M. M. G. Akkermans
PhD Committee: Prof. Dr. Thijs van Kolfschoten Prof. Dr. René Cappers Prof. Dr. John Bintliff Dr. Hijlke Buitenhuis
I would like to express my gratitude to the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) for providing the funding for this research (“Abrupt Climate Change and Cultural Transformation in Syria in Late Prehistory (ca. 6800 – 5800 BC)”. Dossier no. 360-62-040).
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Curriculum Vitae
Date of birth: 30th March 1982 Place of birth: Chester, UK
Education:
2004-2005 MSc (with distinction) Osteoarchaeology. Bournemouth University
2000-2004 BSc (Class 2.1 with Honours) Biological Sciences with a year in Continental Europe.
University of Birmingham (including a year 2002-2003 at the University of Montpellier, France).
1998-2000 A levels; Maths, Biology, Chemistry B. Frensham Heights, Surrey.
1993-1998 GCSEs; Chemistry A*; Biology, Physics, Maths, Geography, English literature, English language, French A; Spanish B. Abbey Gate College, Chester.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to express my gratitude to my colleagues, in particular Peter, Hans, Hijlke, Olivier and Akemi, for the many interesting, in depth and challenging discussions we had, all of which helped shape and develop this research. I would also like to thank my friends for providing much needed distractions, diversions and interruptions, and my parents and Rich for always providing love and support, without which I would have been unable to see my PhD to completion.
Contents
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Contents
List of figures ix
List of tables xxiii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Research Background 1
1.2 Research questions, aims and objectives 3
1.3 Research problems 4
1.4 Thesis outline 4
2 Settlement Archaeology of Tell Sabi Abyad 5
2.1 Introduction 5
2.2 Stratigraphy and chronology 7
2.3 Settlement structure and architecture 9
2.4 Contexts 19
2.5 Pottery 20
2.6 Lithics 21
2.7 Small Finds 22
2.8 Settlement in the Balikh 22
3 Palaeoenvironmental and Zooarchaeological Background 25
3.1 Introduction 25
3.2 Geomorphology: the Balikh Valley 25
3.3 Palaeoclimate studies 27
3.4 Palaeobotanical studies 28
3.5 The Neolithic fauna 32
3.6 Zooarchaeological literature review 41
3.6.1 The Balikh 42
3.6.2 Beyond the Balikh Valley 44
3.6.3 General trends 45
3.7 Summary 45
4 Climate Change and Changing Cultures 47
4.1 Introduction 47
4.2 What is climate change? 47
4.3 Climate change in archaeology 49
4.4 Climate change at Tell Sabi Abyad 50
4.5 Climate change, subsistence and culture 55
4.7 Summary 63
5 Methodology 65
5.1 Introduction 65
5.2 Recovery methods 65
5.3 Recording system 65
5.4 Preservation and fragmentation 65
5.5 Identification 65
5.6 Quantification 65
5.7 Bone modification and pathology 66
5.8 Ageing and sexing 66
5.9 Biometry 66
Contents
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5.10 Taphonomic considerations 67
6 The Fauna 72
6.1 Introduction 72
6.2 General results 74
6.2.1 Relative importance of species 74
6.2.2 Temporal changes 76
6.2.3 Preservation, fragmentation and other taphonomic factors 92
6.2.4 Animal use across the site 99
6.3 Ovicaprids 103
6.3.1 Introduction 103
6.3.2 Sheep and goat ratios 103
6.3.3 Ovicaprid proportions 104
6.3.4 Body part distribution 105
6.3.5 Butchery 111
6.3.6 Age profiles 111
6.3.7 Pathology 120
6.3.8 Metrical Analysis 121
6.3.9 Sex ratios 155
6.3.10 Domestication status 156
6.4 Sus 157
6.4.1 Sus proportions 157
6.4.2 Body part distribution 158
6.4.3 Butchery 164
6.4.4 Age profiles 164
6.4.5 Pathology 167
6.4.6 Metrical analysis 167
6.4.7 Domestication status 175
6.4.8 Conclusions 175
6.5 Bos 175
6.5.1 Bos proportions 175
6.5.2 Body part distribution 176
6.5.3 Butchery 183
6.5.4 Age profiles 183
6.5.5 Pathology 187
6.5.6 Metrical analysis 187
6.5.7 Domestication status 199
6.5.8 Conclusions 199
6.6 Equids 199
6.6.1 Equid Proportions 199
6.6.2 Species distinction 201
6.6.3 Body part distribution 201
6.6.4 Butchery 206
6.6.5 Age profiles 206
6.6.6 Pathology 206
6.6.7 Metrical analysis 206
6.6.8 Conclusions 207
6.7 Gazelle 208
6.7.1 Gazelle proportions 208
6.7.2 Species distinction 209
6.7.3 Body part distribution 209
6.7.4 Butchery 214
6.7.5 Age profiles 214
Contents
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6.7.6 Pathology 215
6.7.7 Metrical analysis 216
6.7.8 Conclusions 216
6.8 Other Species 217
6.8.1 Canids 217
6.8.2 Felids 220
6.8.3 Cervids 220
6.8.4 Bear 220
6.8.5 Mustelids 221
6.8.6 Hare 221
6.8.7 Rodents 222
6.8.8 Birds 222
6.8.9 Molluscs 227
7 Isotope analysis of ovicaprid diet 229
7.1 Stable isotope analysis and diet 229
7.2 Tell Sabi Abyad material 232
7.2.1 Methodology 232
7.2.2 Results 233
7.2.3 Interpretation 234
7.2.4 Discussion 237
7.2.5 Conclusion 238
8 Interpretation: Retracing the steppes 239
8.1 Temporal changes in animal exploitation 239
8.1.1 Introduction 239
8.1.2 Summary 241
8.2 Intra-site differences in animal exploitation 241
8.2.1 Introduction 241
8.2.2 Contexts 241
8.3 Animal domestication, husbandry and herd management 246
8.3.1 Introduction 246
8.3.2 Animal domestication 247
8.3.3 Animal husbandry and herd management 250
8.4 Environmental exploitation and the relationship between fauna 260 and its natural environment
8.4.1 Introduction 260
8.4.2 The role of wild animals in the subsistence economy at Tell Sabi Abyad 260 8.4.3 The hunting of wild animals at Tell Sabi Abyad 261 8.4.4 The natural environment and the habitats exploited 263
8.4.5 Environmental exploitation 263
8.4.6 Seasonality 264
8.5 Food Processing 265
8.5.1 Introduction 265
8.5.2 Food processing 266
8.5.3 Summary 269
8.6 Secondary Products 270
8.7 Integration with previous research 274
8.7.1 Introduction 274
8.7.2 Tell Sabi Abyad Operation I 274
8.7.3 Tell Sabi Abyad II 277
8.7.4 Site comparisons 278
8.7.5 Summary 279
Contents
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8.8 Animal bone and climate change: evidence of the 8.2k event 280
8.8.1 Introduction 280
8.8.2 Changes c. 6200 BC 280
8.8.3 Summary 284
9 Conclusions 287
9.1 Introduction 287
9.2 Reassessing the research questions 287
9.3 Recommendations for future study 289
Bibliography 292
Dutch Summary 315
CD
Appendix 1: Ovicaprid measurements
Appendix 2: Wild ovicaprid measurements used in LSI Appendix 3: Sus measurements
Appendix 4: Sus measurements used in LSI Appendix 5: Bos measurements
Appendix 6: Bos measurements used in LSI Appendix 7: Equid measurements
Appendix 8: Gazelle measurements Appendix 9: Equid and gazelle SI standards Appendix 10: Other measurements Appendix 11: F-Test
