Download or read book Pastoralism in the Levant written by Ofer Bar-Yosef and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The last decades have brought to light many archaeological discoveries relevant to the study of prehistoric pastoralism in the Near East. The renewed interest in pastoralists, who often solely occupied the semi-arid region, arose amongst archaeologists when the origins of agriculture, especially the cultivation of cereals and legumes and the domestication of goats and sheep, attracted attention. Excavations of Late Paleolithic and Early Neolithic sites in the Levant and the hilly flanks of the Taurus and Zagros, have demonstrated that the information drawn from sites in the 'sown land' is insufficient to clarify the Near Eastern origins of animal husbandry and incipient pastoralism. The lack of evidence from the Syro-Arabian desert and Sinai has distorted our understanding of socioeconomic regional developments. A partial correction is now provided by the efforts of those archaeologists who have published the results of surveys and excavations over the last fifteen years. The available data sets indicate that the potential for studying the origin of pastoralism definitely lies in this vast region. The accumulation of archaeological, zoological, and botanical evidence since the late 1950s has enabled new hypotheses concerning the emergence of early food-producing economies and the incipient phases of animal domestication and husbandry. ... In this prehistoric context, the origin of pastoralism in general and of pastoral nomadism in particular, together with their relationship to other types of food-producing economies, has already been examined. Therefore, it seemed to us that the time had come to concentrate on three levels: (a) to summarize in broad outline the present knowledge of prehistoric forms of pastoralism in the Levant, (b) to attempt the more challenging task of integrating different archaeological, anthropological, and historical approaches, and to offer a comprehensive or alternative explanatory model of the origins of pastoralism, and (c) to try to understand the intricate relationships between pastoral and agrarian-urban societies, based mainly on the archaeological records of the region. We did not of course expect that all the various anthropological, archaeological and archaeozoological problems surrounding this issue could be resolved. However, we hoped that by bringing together the data and ideas of contemporary scholars we might be able to formulate better questions."--
Download or read book Revolutions in the Desert written by Steven Rosen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-11-25 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Revolutions in the Desert investigates the development of pastoral nomadism in the arid regions of the ancient Near East, challenging the prevailing notion that such societies left few remains appropriate for analytic study. Few prior studies have approached the deeper past of desert nomadic societies, which have been primarily recognized only as a complement to the study of sedentary agricultural societies in the region. Based on decades of archaeological field work in the Negev of southern Israel, both excavations and surveys, and integrating materials from adjacent regions, Revolutions in the Desert offers a deeper and more dynamic view of the rise of herding societies beyond the settled zone. Rosen offers the first archaeological analysis of the rise of herding in the desert, from the first introduction of domestic goats and sheep into the arid zones, more than eight millennia ago, to the evolution of more recent Bedouin societies. The adoption of domestic herds by hunter-gatherer societies, contemporary with and peripheral to the first farming settlements, revolutionized all aspects of desert life, including subsistence, trade, cult, social organization, and ecology. Inviting processual comparison to the agricultural revolution and the secondary spread of domestication beyond the Near East, this volume traces the evolution of nomadic societies in the archaeological record and examines their ecological, economic and social adaptations to the deserts of the Southern Levant. With maps and illustrations from the author’s own collection, Revolutions in the Desert is a thoughtful and engaging approach to the archaeology of desert nomadic societies.
Download or read book The Origins And Spread Of Agriculture And Pastoralism In Eurasia written by David R. Harris and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-11-01 with total page 617 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the first book to examine the origins and spread of agriculture and pastoralism in Europe and Asia as a whole, this major contribution should be essential reading for archaeologists, anthropologists, biologists and geographers. Adopting a novel approach to the subject, the authors examine it first in terms of seven different disciplinary perspectives: social, ecological, genetic, linguistic, biomolecular, epidemiological and geogrpahical. Then, 20 case studies are presented, which are based primarily on archaeological and biological evidence and which relate to three major regions: Southwest Asia, Europe and Central Asia to the Pacific. The book concludes with an overview of Eurasia as a whole.; The transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture had revolutionary consequences for human society. It led to the emergence of urban civilizations and ultimately to humanity's almost complete dependence on relatively few domesticated animals and plants. The subject has been much studied, but the results have tended to be interpreted largely in terms of local cultural sequences, with insufficient comparison made with evidence from other areas. In contrast, this book provides a continental- scale framework, with its scope extended to pastoralism because in Eurasia both the raising of livestock and the cultivation of crops were integral components of the agricultural "revolution" from its inception some 10,000 years ago.; Comprehensive and authoritative, "The Origins and Spread of Agriculture and Pastoralism in Eurasia" should appeal strongly to the wide readership of students and specialists concerned with the prehistoric antecedents of modern civilization.
Download or read book A Companion to the Ancient Near East written by Daniel C. Snell and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-02-19 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The new edition of the popular survey of Near Eastern civilization from the Bronze Age to the era of Alexander the Great A Companion to the Ancient Near East explores the history of the region from 4400 BCE to the Macedonian conquest of the Persian Empire in 330 BCE. Original and revised essays from a team of distinguished scholars from across disciplines address subjects including the politics, economics, architecture, and heritage of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. Part of the Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World series, this acclaimed single-volume reference combines lively writing with engaging and relatable topics to immerse readers in this fascinating period of Near East history. The new second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to include new developments in relevant fields, particularly archaeology, and expand on themes of interest to contemporary students. Clear, accessible chapters offer fresh discussions on the history of the family and gender roles, the literature, languages, and religions of the region, pastoralism, medicine and philosophy, and borders, states, and warfare. New essays highlight recent discoveries in cuneiform texts, investigate how modern Egyptians came to understand their ancient history, and examine the place of archaeology among the historical disciplines. This volume: Provides substantial new and revised content covering topics such as social conflict, kingship, cosmology, work, trade, and law Covers the civilizations of the Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Israelites, and Persians, emphasizing social and cultural history Examines the legacy of the Ancient Near East in the medieval and modern worlds Offers a uniquely broad geographical, chronological, and topical range Includes a comprehensive bibliographical guide to Ancient Near East studies as well as new and updated references and reading suggestions Suitable for use as both a primary reference or as a supplement to a chronologically arranged textbook, A Companion to the Ancient Near East, 2nd Edition is a valuable resource for advanced undergraduates, beginning graduate students, instructors in the field, and scholars from other disciplines.
Download or read book Mobile Pastoralism and the Formation of Near Eastern Civilizations written by Anne Porter and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-03-26 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the roles of mobile and sedentary members of the ancient world in ancient Mesopotamia.
Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of the Levant written by Margreet L. Steiner and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2014-01-16 with total page 912 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Handbook aims to serve as a research guide to the archaeology of the Levant, an area situated at the crossroads of the ancient world that linked the eastern Mediterranean, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Egypt. The Levant as used here is a historical geographical term referring to a large area which today comprises the modern states of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, western Syria, and Cyprus, as well as the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Peninsula. Unique in its treatment of the entire region, it offers a comprehensive overview and analysis of the current state of the archaeology of the Levant within its larger cultural, historical, and socio-economic contexts. The Handbook also attempts to bridge the modern scholarly and political divide between archaeologists working in this highly contested region. Written by leading international scholars in the field, it focuses chronologically on the Neolithic through Persian periods - a time span during which the Levant was often in close contact with the imperial powers of Egypt, Anatolia, Assyria, Babylon, and Persia. This volume will serve as an invaluable reference work for those interested in a contextualised archaeological account of this region, beginning with the 'agricultural revolution' until the conquest of Alexander the Great that marked the end of the Persian period.
Download or read book Near Eastern Archaeology written by Suzanne Richard and published by Eisenbrauns. This book was released on 2003 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation Filling a gap in classroom texts, more than 60 essays by major scholars in the field have been gathered to create the most up-to-date and complete book available on Levantine and Near Eastern archaeology. The book is divided into two sections: "Theory, Method, and Context," and "Cultural Phases and Topics," which together provide both methodological and areal coverage of the subject. The text is complemented by many line drawings and photographs. Includes a foreword by W.G. Dever.
Download or read book The Levant in Transition No 4 written by P.J. Parr and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-12-13 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The latter part of the 3rd millennium BC witnessed severe dislocations in the social, economic and political structures of the lands at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea - the Levant. In the south, in what is now Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Jordan, hitherto thriving urban centres disappeared, to be replaced for several centuries
Download or read book Quaternary of the Levant written by Yehouda Enzel and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-04-27 with total page 789 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over eighty contributions from leading researchers review 2.5 million years of environmental change and human cultural evolution in the Levant.
Download or read book The Archaeology of Mobility written by Hans Barnard and published by Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. This book was released on 2008-12-31 with total page 617 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There have been edited books on the archaeology of nomadism in various regions, and there have been individual archaeological and anthropological monographs, but nothing with the kind of coverage provided in this volume. Its strength and importance lies in the fact that it brings together a worldwide collection of studies of the archaeology of mobility. This book provides a ready-made reference to this worldwide phenomenon and is unique in that it tries to redefine pastoralism within a larger context by the term mobility. It presents many new ideas and thoughtful approaches, especially in the Central Asian region.
Download or read book Ride of the Second Horseman written by Robert L. O'Connell and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1997 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In times of underpopulation, slaves weretaken to provide labor. O'Connell explores the histories of the civilizations of ancient Sumeria, Egypt, Assyria, China, and the New World, showing how war came to each and how it adapted to varying circumstances. On the other hand, societies based on trade employed war much more selectively andpragmatically. Thus, Minoan Crete, long protected from marauding pastoralists, developed a wealthy mercantile society marked by unmilitaristic attitudes, equality between men and women, and a relative absence of class distinctions. In Assyria, by contrast, war came to be an end in itself, in aculture dominated by male warriors. Despite the violence in the world today, O'Connell finds reason for hope. The industrial revolution broke the old patterns of subsistence: war no longer serves the demographic purpose it once did.
Download or read book Metal Nomads and Culture Contact written by Nils Anfinset and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-08 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fifth and fourth millennia BCE saw major cultural changes in the southern Levant and Northeast Africa: the spread of agriculture; developments in animal husbandry; increased contact between cultures; and the use of alloy bronze. 'Metal, Nomads and Culture Contact' integrates archaeological data from across the Chalcolithic period to contextualise these changes. The book examines the introduction of metal to the southern Levant, Egypt and Lower Nubia and the role of pastoral nomadism in cultural interaction and exchange. 'Metal, Nomads and Culture Contact' will be valuable to scholars of archaeology and anthropology.
Download or read book 6 ICAANE written by Paolo Matthiae and published by Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. This book was released on 2010 with total page 1064 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: .".. 6th International Congress of the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East held in Rome on May 5th-10th, 2008 (www.6icaane.it)"--Foreword.
Download or read book Arch Of Society written by Thomas Levy and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 660 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume marks a departure from earlier descriptive archaeological summaries of the Holy Land. Taking an anthropological and socio-economic perspective, many of the leading archaeologists who work in Israel and Jordan today present timely and concise summaries of the archaeology of this region. Chronologically organized, each chapter outlines the major cultural transitions which occurred in a given archaeological period. To explain the processes which were responsible for culture change, a review is made of the most recent research concerning settlement patterns, innovations and technology, religion and ideology, and social organization. The material culture of every period of human history in the Holy Land is explored from the earliest prehistoric hominids, through the Biblical and historical periods and up to modern (20th century) times. Each chapter is accompanied by settlement pattern maps and a plate highlighting the major artifacts which archaeologists use to identify the material culture of the period. In addition, windows are presented which focus on major social issues and controversies such as "The Agricultural Revolution", the "Israelite Conquest of Canaan" and "Ancient Metal Working and Social Change". This volume should provide students and the general reader with a useful reference volume concerning the archaeology of societies which lived and live in the Holy Land.
Download or read book Climate Change written by Arie S. Issar and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-06-10 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This survey of the ancient levels of lakes, rivers and the sea, as well as changes in the compositions of stalagmites and sediments reveals an astonishing correlation of climate changes with the emergence and collapse of civilizations in the Middle East. The authors conclude that climate change has been the decisive factor in the history surrounding the origins of the "cradle of civilization".
Download or read book Archaeology Anthropology and Cult written by Thomas Evan Levy and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-09-17 with total page 886 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Chalcolithic period was formative in Near Eastern prehistory, being a time of fundamental social change in craft specialization, horticulture and temple life. Gilat - a low mound, semi-communal farming settlement in the Negev desert - is one of the few Chalcolithic sanctuary sites in the Southern Levant. 'Archaeology, Anthropology and Cult' presents a critical analysis of the archaeological data from Gilat. The book brings together archaeological finds and anthropological theory to examine the role of religion in the evolution of society and the power of ritual in promoting change. This comprehensive volume, which includes artefact drawings, photographs, maps and data tables, will be of interest to students and scholars of ancient history, anthropology, archaeology, as well as biblical and religious studies.
Download or read book An Investigation into Early Desert Pastoralism written by Steven A. Rosen and published by Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. This book was released on 2011-10-11 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Negev focuses on two primary purposes, one theoretical/methodological and the second substantive. Briefly stated, the book comprises a case study of excavations at an early (ca. 2800 B.C.) pastoral site in the Negev, providing detailed analyses and a synthetic overview of a seasonal encampment from this early period in the evolution of desert pastoral societies. It thus both demonstrates the feasibility of an archaeology of early mobile pastoralism and grapples with the basic anthropological and methodological issues surrounding the subject. Substantively, both the architectural and material culture assemblages uncovered constitute the first detailed analysis of this early desert culture and include materials previously unreported for the region and period. Historically, the Camel Site is placed in a larger perspective of the beginnings of multiresource nomadism in relation to the rise of complex societies.
