Santander, February 19th-22nd 2008 - Aranzadi

MUNIBE(Suplemento/Gehigarria) - nº nº 3100 88-98 000-000 DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN 2010 2003 D.L. ISSN SS-1055-2010
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Shell beads in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B in Central Levant:
Cypraeidae of Tell Aswad (Damascus, Syria)
Conchas perforadas en el PPNB en Levante Central:
las Cypraeidae de Tell Aswad (Damasco, Siria)
KEY WORDS: Levant, PPNB, Cowries, Beads, Technology.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Levante, PPNB, Cauris, adornos, tecnología.
GAKO-HITZAK: Ekialdea, PPNB, Cauris, apaingarriak, teknologia.
Hala ALARASHI (1)
ABSTRACT
At Tell Aswad, a Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site in Central Levant, a number of marine shell beads were found. Within this assemblage, the
Cypraeidae specimens are the most numerous (14 objects). The present study reveals that several techniques were used for manipulating
cowrie beads: grinding or hammering, engraving, drilling, etc. Local use wear observed on some areas as well as the location of the perforations
are related to various attachment systems. Finally, the decorated incisions made on the ventral and lateral faces of some shell cowries, are
one of the most original aspects for shell bead-making in the PPNB period in the Levant.
RESUMEN
En Tell Aswad, yacimiento del Neolítico Precerámico B del Levante Central, se ha encontrado un cierto número de adornos realizados en
conchas marinas. De este conjunto destacan las de Cypraeidae por ser las más numerosas (14 objetos). Este estudio revela el uso de varias
técnicas de fabricación de los adornos en cauris: abrasión o percusión, grabado, perforación, etc. Las trazas de uso observadas en algunas
áreas, así como la localización de las perforaciones son los testimonios de varios modos de sistemas de atado. Por fin, las incisiones decorativas
realizadas sobre las partes laterales y ventrales de algunos cauris, son uno de los aspectos más originales de la fabricación de ornamentos
en concha del periodo PPNB en Levante.
LABURPENA
Tell Aswad aztarnategian, Ekialdeko erdialdeko Neolitoko Prezeramiko B garaikoan, itsas maskorrez egindako zenbait apaingarri aurkitu dira.
Multzo horretan, Cypraeidae familiakoak nabarmentzen dira, ugarienak direlako (14 objektu). Ikerketa honi esker jakin dugu kauriz egindako
apiangarriak fabrikatzeko zenbait teknika erabiltzen zituztela: urratzea edo kolpekatzea, zizelatzea, zulatzea, etab. Zenbait arlotan hautemandako
erabilerek eta zulaketen kokapenek erakusten dute lotzeko zenbait sistema erabiltzen zituztela. Azkenik, kauri batzuen alboetako eta sabelaldeko
faseetan egindako ebaki apaingarriak Ekialdeko PPNB periodoko maskorren fabrikazioko alderdirik originalenetako bat dira.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Neolithic settlement of Tell Aswad is located 30
km south-east of Damascus in Syria (Fig. 1). The first
soundings by H. de Contenson in 1971-72 were followed
by the excavations conducted by D. Stordeur and
B. Jammous between 2001 and 2007 (Stordeur et al.
in press). According to the radiocarbon dates and the
preliminary study of the archaeological material, the
earliest occupation of the site corresponds to the Early
Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (EPPNB, ca. 9,500-9,200 cal.
BP). The subsequent levels, dated to the Middle PPNB
(ca. 9,200-8,500 cal. BP) and Late PPNB periods (ca.
9,200-8,500 cal. BP), are well documented. The settlement
was also sporadically occupied during the early
Pottery Neolithic.
The excavation seasons 2001-2007 yielded a large
collection of beads (more than 238 objects) made from
various raw materials (bone, shell, clay and stone).
This collection is stored at the National Museum of
Damascus where the access to the archaeological
material is restricted. The shell category comprised 46
objects, i.e. 19.3 % of the assemblage. The taxonomic
identification of the mollusc species is still in progress
and 8 families have been recognized: Conidae,
Cypraeidae, Dentaliidae, Glycymerididae, Littorinidae
(?), Muricidae, Nassariidae, and Neritidae.
The cowries of Tell Aswad are particularly interesting
because of the diversity they show from a technological
and typological point of view. A total of fourteen
cowries were collected at the site (Table 1; Fig. 2).
Most of them were found in the Middle PPNB levels
(1)
Archéorient UMR5133 – Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée - 69007 Lyon, France (hala.alarashi@free.fr).