The movement toward social complexity of Tell Al-Felafel can been seen in many ways, the presence of social stratification, evidence of religion, changes in burial practices, storage of surplus, craft specialization, goods from long distant trade, and finally evidence of conflict or warfare. The location of Tell Al-Felafel, is in the tradition region where sites like Tell Es-Sawaan, which the layout of Tell Al-Felafel shares characteristics. This arid region is where irrigation farming is traditionally practiced, walls are originally used to prevent flooding in other Neolithic communities due to flooding, the notes do not indicate the location of any water sources such as rivers. In later occupations during evidenced conflict, the wall would …show more content…
5.2. Located in the northeast corner of Tell Al-Felafel in a large complex, as described by Professor Pelaf, Building D appear to be part of a market place or an area where craft working of exotic materials is performed. Building D, contains three rounded cobblestones in association with 10 good blades, 3 blade cores, and hundreds of chips/flakes of obsidian, fig. 5.3. The presence of the amount flakes indicates large scale crafting of obsidian which source is to the north in Turkey, fig. 5.1. While Building E, fig. 5.2, shows the use and crafting of marine shells found to the south in the Persian Gulf area, fig. 5.1. Building E is described as a windowless room containing 3 millstones with evidence of crafting into prestige personal ornamentation with the presence of “many small flakes of marine shell” found in association of the millstones, fig. 5.3 a, and 3 “sandstone fragments”, fig. 5.3 d. Found in context of the millstones, 5 complete marine shells can be seen on fig. 5.3 b. Along with the presence of the manufacture of the shell, it is the presence of broken arm rings located in a “pile of marine shell pieces”, fig. 5.3 c, and “7 complete marine shell arm rings”, fig. 5.3 …show more content…
It is further evidenced in the mortuary practices and changes in the cemetery. The evolution of mortuary practices can be seen in the change in burial type and grave good growth within the cemetery at Al-Felafel. Earlier graves show round pit like form with the body in a flex position, fig. 5.4 labeled 2, 3,10, 11,12,14,16. These graves are found to contain few, if any, grave goods in association to the burials. What grave goods that are found are local manufacture such as course pots and jars, as seen on fig. 5.4 labeled 10,11,12,14,16, and objects made of stone as seen in the bone arm ring in fig. 5.4:14, and a single large bone bead in fig.
The settlements in the complex show a multimodal distribution which means that there is an extensive use of shaped and faced stone walling. Out of the three sites there are, only one has produced stone walling and that is Lago de Handel. Obsidian flows were identified in the Amontillado region and their products ca...
Perhaps the most notorious of burial practices originating in Egypt is that of mummification. Why such an extraordinary attempt was made to preserve cadavers may seem
Through the means of commemorating and remembering those of prestige and importance, tombs and sarcophagi are produced of these individuals. This funerary manner and distinctive burial practice was initiated Etruscan culture and it developed through the means of cremation and inhumation in earns. The concept of placing the remains of individuals in elaborate, thought out spaces was a valuable attribute of these people. The Etruscan objective of creating the best possible outcome in the afterlife dictated the way in which individuals ornamented and became portrayed in their tombs. Presen...
The grass is freshly cut and the grounds are well preserved. Less tree coverage helps provide a uniform layout. Since the funeral industry is a business, the grounds containing new burials gain highest priority in the effort to increase desirability. In the new section, the headstones of choice are mostly block or lawn-type, all of which are relatively the same size and style. This could indicate that the obelisk style monuments are no longer wanted or are too expensive for the families of the deceased. Since a burial is relatively expensive, most of the people being buried today are middle and upper class. Most poorer people are choosing cremation because it is a cheaper alternative. Furthermore, the plots in the new section are linearly designed, creating rows of headstones. Most of the headstones represent one or two graves, indicating a trend of couple or single parcels instead of family style plot. This suggests that in today’s society, people are less focused on family, which could derive from people having less kids. Also, most of the graves are for older people. For instance, due to the advancements in healthcare, people are living longer. In the new section, kids are memorialized, signifying the unexpected and tragic nature of the lost of a young person.
The wooden lintels, writing, and the unique calendar reveal clues about life in a society that thrived for over 1000 years. Many massive building are visible today, those built to pay tribute to kings and to please the deities. The M...
As these materials have magical means, often seen in Egyptian religious beliefs, a magical mean of the ushabti followed after-life of its deceased. The figurine appears to be inscribed with a special spell that contains summons; the intent of figure is placed in the tomb to act as substitute for its deceased body. This magical figurine was detailed to respond in the
vol. 31, New Haven, Conn., Department of Antiquities of the Government of Iraq and the American Schools of Oriental Research, p. 133 (# 56). 1965,
Weeks. The strength of this report resided in the exponential amount of detail and recording of all available data, including measurements, photographs, charts, hieroglyph translation, drawings, and even chemical analysis of pigments and plaster. An additional strength within this report would be the detailed description of conservation methodology which can be adapted and used at archaeological sites around the world. The only notable weaknesses within this report would be the inclusion of excessive description of flood debris which is not extremely relevant to future research, and the lack of explanation regarding the claim that this tomb is the final resting place of the sons of Rameses
About 800 years ago, a great civilization inhabited the land in west Alabama, located along the Black Warrior River, south of Tuscaloosa. It encompassed a known area of 320 acres and contained at least 29 earthen mounds. Other significant features include a plaza, or centralized open area, and a massive fortification of log construction. The flat topped, pyramidal mounds ranging from three to 60 feet, are believed to have been constructed by moving the soil, leaving large pits that are today small lakes. As major ceremonial center, up to 3000 people inhabited the central area from 1200-1400 AD. An estimated 10,000 lived around the stockade, which surrounded three sides of the civilization (Blitz 2008:2-3; Little et al 2001:132).
Located in Turkey and discovered in 1961 by a team of British archaeologists, is the site of one of the world’s first farming communities. Çatal Hüyük means “forked mound” in Turkish, which was how their settlement looked. Based on specialized historians, the settlement of Çatal Hüyük, was created around 7,500 BCE. The civilization once housed about 5,000 people. How could so many people live close together at a time when most people still lived as hunters and gatherers? The answer is agriculture. Agriculture provided a way for people to live in large groups without the need to travel great distances to gather food. To use agriculture, people first had to domesticate plants and animals. To domesticate means to train something to be useful to people. And the people at Çatal Hüyük learned to plant seeds and care for edible, or safe to be eaten, plants like wheat, barley, and peas. They also learned to domesticate animals such as wild goats, cattle, and sheep. Furthermore, settlements began due to agriculture and domestication. Houses were built of brick and were arranged side-by-side like a honeycomb to defend the city from attack. There were no streets in Çatal Hüyük and no doors on the houses. People entered their homes from the roof, by climbing down ladders. All of homes in Çatal Hüyük were the same size and shape. Near the ladder, there was a fireplace and an oven for heating and cooking. Çatal Hüyük was the first settlement in the world that developed
Term Paper: Coffin of Tentkhonsu The Egyptians during this period took ample time and detail on the mummification process to ensure a successful transition from the netherworld to rebirth. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C., it’s a depiction of how the Egyptians valued and honored their elite members of society, as well as their gods. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, itself dates back to the III intermediate period in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian believe was to join Osiris, whom was believed to have ascended to Netherworld and accomplished eternal life.
It is clear that tombs and burial rituals were a key element in the Egyptian society and their way of life as it ties into almost all things they did on a daily basis. Whatever a person’s status was when they were alive followed them into the afterlife. Food and luxury goods were buried with a person so that they could have it in the afterlife. The tombs became a person’s new house after they died. Therefore, making it as nice as possible was really important. Art work and clay models were added to a person’s tomb as material goods needed for the afterlife. They were also seen as decorations that kept the tombs looking nice. Throughout the years, Egyptian artworks on the inner parts of the tombs and on the coffins show a development in the Egyptian customs. Each new development was created to better preserve the bodies and comfort of the dead.
I shall gather various types of archaeological publications dealing with deviant burial. It is important to include differing types of publications to see if it affects the way in which deviancy is dealt with. I will then determine if any common patterns are apparent within the study of deviant burial. If common patterns are found, each one will be explored individually. Searching for specific statements within the texts, I will attempt to determine how the patterns relate to the interpretation of deviant burial. As I have not previously dealt with deviant burials, I will also briefly convey my interpretations – as a simulated intended audience reader – of the way in which deviancy is conveyed through the material. This will give a distinctive perspective as to how the true intended audience of the publications may view the evidence as presented by the archaeologists. A discourse analysis is never complete as there are too many aspects to ever fully dissect a subject (Dijk 2001; Phillips and Hardy 2002). However, it is my intent to try to examine deviant burial as thoroughly as this thesis permits, as well as to bring a unique point of view to the
Most of the cemeteries found in the Southern Levant during the Early Bronze Age IV are composed of shaft tombs. The details differ from site to sites and sometimes within the same site (e.g. Jericho). At some of the sites, such as those nea...