Visualising social space : investigating the use of space and human-animal interaction in Neolithic built environments in the Zagros Mountains and adjacent lowlands
The Neolithic in the Near East witnessed increased duration of settlements and the emergence of food production. Research has in recent decades become increasingly focused on the social mechanisms that underpinned these developments. There has been considerable debate about the extent to which Neolithic built environments reflect new forms of social relationships, household composition and interaction, and the degree to which these may be linked to new economic practices. Most discussions have, however, focused on the Levantine record as it presents a more comprehensive data set. Despite the increase in fieldwork taking place in the Zagros and adjacent lowlands since the late 1990s, there are still temporal gaps in our understanding of the transition from mobile hunter-gatherer groups to more sedentary communities in this area. Additionally, discussions have tended to focus on the reconstruction of economic strategies, and especially the question of caprine domestication, with little consideration of the social transformations that took place in this area. The main aim of this thesis is therefore to begin to redress this situation by providing a contextualised examination of social practices within Neolithic
Lelek Tvetmarken, Cecilie
Visualising social space : investigating the use of space and human-animal interaction in Neolithic built environments in the Zagros Mountains and adjacent lowlands. The Neolithic in the Near East witnessed increased duration of settlements and the emergence of food production. Research has in recent decades become increasingly focused on the social mechanisms that underpinned these developments. There has been considerable debate about the extent to which Neolithic built environments reflect new forms of social relationships, household composition and interaction, and the degree to which these may be linked to new economic practices. Most discussions have, however, focused on the Levantine record as it presents a more comprehensive data set. Despite the increase in fieldwork taking place in the Zagros and adjacent lowlands since the late 1990s, there are still temporal gaps in our understanding of the transition from mobile hunter-gatherer groups to more sedentary communities in this area. Additionally, discussions have tended to focus on the reconstruction of economic strategies, and especially the question of caprine domestication, with little consideration of the social transformations that took place in this area. The main aim of this thesis is therefore to begin to redress this situation by providing a contextualised examination of social practices within Neolithic
visualising social_space investigating use_space human_animal interaction neolithic build_environment mountains adjacent lowland neolithic_near_east witness increase duration settlement emergence food_production become_increasingly focused social mechanism underpinned development considerable_debate extent neolithic build_environment reflect new_form social_relationship household composition interaction degree may link new economic practice discussion however focus levantine record present_comprehensive data_set despite increase fieldwork take_place adjacent lowlands since still temporal gap transition mobile hunter_gatherer group sedentary community area additionally discussion tend_focus reconstruction economic strategy especially question caprine domestication little consideration social_transformation take_place area main_aim therefore_begin redress situation provide contextualised examination social_practice within neolithic