Making Dilmun seals speak : stylistic elements of Dilmun glyptics and their implications for social and economic life in early Dilmun, c. 2000-1800 BCE
This study has attempted to explain the emergence and development of the socio-economic complexity detected in Dilmun material culture, particularly its seals, which emerged in the Gulf region c. 2100-1800 BCE. My research aims to present a regional perspective through emphasising the internal dynamic, or endogenous processes establishing Dilmun society. A new perspective is presented as the result of a reassessment of current theories of the relationships between suppliers and consumers in long distance trading networks which suggests important modifications to the models presented by Renfrew and Stein. The complexity of Early Dilmun society is demonstrated by the remains at the Qalaat al-Bahrain period II a-c, by the existence of the central palace and the settlement beside the city wall. There are also the temples at Barbar, Diraz, and Sar settlement and a new settlement was founded on Failaka, all indicators of a process of social complexity (urbanization) taking place in the Dilmun region. Other supporting evidence comes from burials. The corpus of seals is re-analyzed to establish a new and more detailed classification. A particular group of high quality seals can be distinguished which, it is suggested,
Al-Thani, Haya
Making Dilmun seals speak : stylistic elements of Dilmun glyptics and their implications for social and economic life in early Dilmun, c. 2000-1800 BCE. This study has attempted to explain the emergence and development of the socio-economic complexity detected in Dilmun material culture, particularly its seals, which emerged in the Gulf region c. 2100-1800 BCE. My research aims to present a regional perspective through emphasising the internal dynamic, or endogenous processes establishing Dilmun society. A new perspective is presented as the result of a reassessment of current theories of the relationships between suppliers and consumers in long distance trading networks which suggests important modifications to the models presented by Renfrew and Stein. The complexity of Early Dilmun society is demonstrated by the remains at the Qalaat al-Bahrain period II a-c, by the existence of the central palace and the settlement beside the city wall. There are also the temples at Barbar, Diraz, and Sar settlement and a new settlement was founded on Failaka, all indicators of a process of social complexity (urbanization) taking place in the Dilmun region. Other supporting evidence comes from burials. The corpus of seals is re-analyzed to establish a new and more detailed classification. A particular group of high quality seals can be distinguished which, it is suggested,
making seal speak stylistic element implication social_economic life early bce study_attempt explain_emergence development socio_economic complexity detect material_culture particularly seal emerge gulf region bce aim_present regional_perspective emphasise internal dynamic endogenous process establish society new_perspective present reassessment current_theory relationships supplier consumer long_distance trading network suggest important modification model present complexity early society demonstrate remain bahrain period existence central palace settlement beside city wall also temples settlement new settlement found indicator process social_complexity urbanization take_place region support evidence come burial corpus seal analyzed establish_new detailed classification particular_group high_quality seal distinguish suggest