Early Bronze Age urbanisation in upper Mesopotamia : ceramic production and exchange in the middle Euphrates valley, northern Syria
Recent archaeological research has viewed movements towards urbanisation and socio-political complexity in the periphery of Mesopotamia as a result of southern influence. While this study recognises the importance of interregional exchange in regional socio-political developments, and underlying world system theories, it holds that understanding of local urban growth can only be further advanced at the intraregional level. Archaeologists have also traditionally seen increasing sociopolitical complexity in a direct linkage with ever increasing specialisation in craft production which presumably is controlled by emerging elites or centralised institutions. To examine the organisation of ceramic production within one region of Upper Mesopotamia and its relation to the mid-late third millennium Be urbanisation, a ceramic compositional analysis was undertaken. Representative pottery from the Middle Euphrates valley in northern Syria was analysed by application of neutron activation analysis and multivariate statistical analysis. The results of this investigation suggest that the majority of the Middle Euphrates ceramics were not incorporated into the political economy and therefore their production was not politically
Mavros, Michael
Early Bronze Age urbanisation in upper Mesopotamia : ceramic production and exchange in the middle Euphrates valley, northern Syria. Recent archaeological research has viewed movements towards urbanisation and socio-political complexity in the periphery of Mesopotamia as a result of southern influence. While this study recognises the importance of interregional exchange in regional socio-political developments, and underlying world system theories, it holds that understanding of local urban growth can only be further advanced at the intraregional level. Archaeologists have also traditionally seen increasing sociopolitical complexity in a direct linkage with ever increasing specialisation in craft production which presumably is controlled by emerging elites or centralised institutions. To examine the organisation of ceramic production within one region of Upper Mesopotamia and its relation to the mid-late third millennium Be urbanisation, a ceramic compositional analysis was undertaken. Representative pottery from the Middle Euphrates valley in northern Syria was analysed by application of neutron activation analysis and multivariate statistical analysis. The results of this investigation suggest that the majority of the Middle Euphrates ceramics were not incorporated into the political economy and therefore their production was not politically
early_bronze_age urbanisation upper_mesopotamia ceramic_production exchange middle euphrates valley northern_syria recent_archaeological view movement_towards urbanisation socio_political complexity periphery mesopotamia southern influence study recognise importance interregional exchange regional socio_political development underlie world system theory hold local urban_growth advance level archaeologists also traditionally_see increase sociopolitical complexity direct linkage ever increase specialisation craft_production presumably control emerge elite centralise institution examine organisation ceramic_production within region upper_mesopotamia relation urbanisation ceramic compositional_analysis undertaken representative pottery middle euphrates valley northern_syria analyse application neutron_activation analysis multivariate_statistical analysis investigation suggest majority middle euphrates ceramic incorporate political_economy therefore production politically