The role and function of 'tokens' and sealing practices in the Neolithic of the Near East : the question of early recording systems, symbolic storage, precursors to writing, gaming, or monitoring devices in the world's first villages
The Neolithic in the Near East was a crucial transitional period, evidencing the appearance of the worldâs first permanent farming villages, alongside significant changes in social structure, subsistence and artistic expression. This thesis focuses on an enigmatic artefact type; small, geometric clay objects, or âtokensâ. âTokensâ appear in the 10th millennium BC, and by the late Neolithic they are present in abundance at large numbers of sites across the region, yet absent at others. The timing of the appearance of âtokensâ is significant; however, until recently, the potential importance of these objects was often unrecognised. Schmandt-Besseratâs research (1992a, 1992b, 1996) represents the only comprehensive study on the subject. She claims âtokensâ are mnemonic recording devices, appearing to meet the administrative needs of the first sedentary farming communities, eventually developing into the worldâs earliest known written script. Though her interpretation is widely accepted, her evidence hails entirely from sites distant in space and time from where these objects initially appeared, and there is no solid evidence supporting the notion that Neolithic âtokensâ formed a unified
Bennison-Chapman, Lucy
CC Archaeology
The role and function of 'tokens' and sealing practices in the Neolithic of the Near East : the question of early recording systems, symbolic storage, precursors to writing, gaming, or monitoring devices in the world's first villages. The Neolithic in the Near East was a crucial transitional period, evidencing the appearance of the worldâs first permanent farming villages, alongside significant changes in social structure, subsistence and artistic expression. This thesis focuses on an enigmatic artefact type; small, geometric clay objects, or âtokensâ. âTokensâ appear in the 10th millennium BC, and by the late Neolithic they are present in abundance at large numbers of sites across the region, yet absent at others. The timing of the appearance of âtokensâ is significant; however, until recently, the potential importance of these objects was often unrecognised. Schmandt-Besseratâs research (1992a, 1992b, 1996) represents the only comprehensive study on the subject. She claims âtokensâ are mnemonic recording devices, appearing to meet the administrative needs of the first sedentary farming communities, eventually developing into the worldâs earliest known written script. Though her interpretation is widely accepted, her evidence hails entirely from sites distant in space and time from where these objects initially appeared, and there is no solid evidence supporting the notion that Neolithic âtokensâ formed a unified
role_function tokens sealing practice neolithic near_east question early recording system symbolic storage precursor write game monitor device world first villages neolithic near_east crucial transitional_period evidence appearance world first permanent farming village alongside significant_change social_structure subsistence artistic expression focus enigmatic artefact_type small geometric clay object token tokens appear late_neolithic present abundance large_number sit across_region yet absent others time appearance token significant however recently potential importance object often unrecognised represent comprehensive_study subject claim tokens mnemonic record device appear meet administrative need first sedentary farming_community eventually develop world early know write script though interpretation widely_accept evidence entirely sit distant space_time object initially appear solid evidence_support notion neolithic tokens form unified