Studying ephemeral prehistoric tell sites in Upper Mesopotamia:
The example of Tell Arbid Abyad (Syria)

a 2016

Studying ephemeral prehistoric tell sites in Upper Mesopotamia: The example of Tell Arbid Abyad (Syria)

MATEICIUCOVÁ, Inna and Maximilian WILDING

Basic information

Original name

Studying ephemeral prehistoric tell sites in Upper Mesopotamia: The example of Tell Arbid Abyad (Syria)

Authors

MATEICIUCOVÁ, Inna and Maximilian WILDING

Edition

10th ICAANE, Vienna, 25-29 April 2015, 2016

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Konferenční abstrakt

Field of Study

60102 Archaeology

Country of publisher

Austria

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

Keywords in English

Prehistoric sites; Tell; Arbid Abyad; Mesopotamia; excavation methods; erosion; Neolithic landscape; Syria

Abstract

V originále

Tell archaeologists determined to excavate new prehistoric sites are likely to run into places which lack an overlay of protective deposits of a younger age, because it is they who are the clearest signals of a prehistoric settlement-use which a surveyor may observe. It appears soon that the instantaneous accessibility of prehistoric tell layers comes with a cost: such sites have been disproportionally hit by consecutive disturbances, by erosion and – more recently – by large-scale interventions into the landscape. Excessively dissected features, a poor state of preservation and reduced architecture make these open-air sites ‘trouble-makers’ for the Prehistorian. Using an epithet that the late Tony Wilkinson (1990) has coined for surface-near, elusive walls such typical formations may be dubbed ‘ghost tells’. Four years of focused research at Tell Arbid Abyad (Late Neolithic) have shown that work at a ‘ghost tell’ is fruitful if (1) the digging/documentation techniques are kept highly adaptive, and (2) a tell paradigm different from the classical tell is followed throughout. Excavating Tell Arbid Abyad has also resulted in observations that back the idea that bipolar concepts of ‘permanently settled high tells’ and ‘small seasonal sub-tells’ will have to be amended, in order to accommodate some of the prehistoric tell sites of Upper Mesopotamia.

Links

MUNI/A/0859/2015, interní kód MU

Name: Archeologické terénní prospekce, exkavace, dokumentace a muzejní prezentace V

Investor: Masaryk University, Category A

Citovat

MATEICIUCOVÁ, Inna and Maximilian WILDING. Studying ephemeral prehistoric tell sites in Upper Mesopotamia: The example of Tell Arbid Abyad (Syria). In 10th ICAANE, Vienna, 25-29 April 2015. 2016.

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   author = {Mateiciucová, Inna and Wilding, Maximilian},
   booktitle = {10th ICAANE, Vienna, 25-29 April 2015},
   keywords = {Prehistoric sites; Tell; Arbid Abyad; Mesopotamia; excavation methods; erosion; Neolithic landscape; Syria},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Studying ephemeral prehistoric tell sites in Upper Mesopotamia: The example of Tell Arbid Abyad (Syria)},
   url = {http://www.orea.oeaw.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/veranstaltungen/2016/Section_4_Abstracts.pdf},
   year = {2016}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 1331553
AU  - Mateiciucová, Inna - Wilding, Maximilian
PY  - 2016
TI  - Studying ephemeral prehistoric tell sites in Upper Mesopotamia: The example of Tell Arbid Abyad (Syria)
KW  - Prehistoric sites
KW  - Tell
KW  - Arbid Abyad
KW  - Mesopotamia
KW  - excavation methods
KW  - erosion
KW  - Neolithic landscape
KW  - Syria
UR  - http://www.orea.oeaw.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/veranstaltungen/2016/Section_4_Abstracts.pdf
L2  - http://www.orea.oeaw.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/veranstaltungen/2016/Section_4_Abstracts.pdf
N2  - Tell archaeologists determined to excavate new prehistoric sites are likely to run into places which lack an overlay of protective deposits of a younger age, because it is they who are the clearest signals of a prehistoric settlement-use which a surveyor may observe. It appears soon that the instantaneous accessibility of prehistoric tell layers comes with a cost: such sites have been disproportionally hit by consecutive disturbances, by erosion and – more recently – by large-scale interventions into the landscape. Excessively dissected features, a poor state of preservation and reduced architecture make these open-air sites ‘trouble-makers’ for the Prehistorian. Using an epithet that the late Tony Wilkinson (1990) has coined for surface-near, elusive walls such typical formations may be dubbed ‘ghost tells’. Four years of focused research at Tell Arbid Abyad (Late Neolithic) have shown that work at a ‘ghost tell’ is fruitful if (1) the digging/documentation techniques are kept highly adaptive, and (2) a tell paradigm different from the classical tell is followed throughout. Excavating Tell Arbid Abyad has also resulted in observations that back the idea that bipolar concepts of ‘permanently settled high tells’ and ‘small seasonal sub-tells’ will have to be amended, in order to accommodate some of the prehistoric tell sites of Upper Mesopotamia.
ER  -

MATEICIUCOVÁ, Inna and Maximilian WILDING. Studying ephemeral prehistoric tell sites in Upper Mesopotamia: The example of Tell Arbid Abyad (Syria). In \textit{10th ICAANE, Vienna, 25-29 April 2015}. 2016.

Detailed Information on Publication Record