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Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age Landscapes of Settlement and Mobility in the Middle Euphrates: A Reassessment

Wilkinson, Tony J; Galiatsatos, Nikolaos; Lawrence, Dan; Ricci, Andrea; Dunford, Rob; Philip, Graham

Authors

Tony J Wilkinson

Nikolaos Galiatsatos

Dan Lawrence

Andrea Ricci

Rob Dunford

Graham Philip



Abstract

Urbanization occupies an ambiguous position in the development of the Middle Euphrates region of Turkey and Syria, in part because the area frequently formed a contested region between other stronger Early Bronze Age polities. This paper aims to review evidence from a series of archaeological surveys to illustrate trends in settlement during the 4th and 3rd millennium BC. Re-analysis of survey data from three exemplar regions in the Middle Euphrates demonstrates that by including settlement away from the main Euphrates Valley we get a picture of two main zones of settlement corresponding to agro-ecological zones. In the northern zone, settlements underwent phases of nucleation and dispersal through time, but long-term configurations were relatively stable. In contrast, a southern zone, south of the Sajur Valley, was characterized by rapid colonization and some degree of boom and bust growth of towns, perhaps encouraged by the opportunities afforded by the high risk but high rewards of the ‘zone of uncertainty’. Although ecological conditions and climate change played a role in settlement growth and failure, in part by setting the parameters for agro-pastoral production, it is evident that socio-political circumstances, chronic conflict and sheer opportunism were probably key to both the growth and decline of the southern settlements.

Citation

Wilkinson, T. J., Galiatsatos, N., Lawrence, D., Ricci, A., Dunford, R., & Philip, G. (2012). Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age Landscapes of Settlement and Mobility in the Middle Euphrates: A Reassessment. Levant, 44(2), 139-185. https://doi.org/10.1179/0075891412z.0000000007

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Nov 1, 2012
Deposit Date Nov 25, 2012
Journal Levant
Print ISSN 0075-8914
Electronic ISSN 1756-3801
Publisher Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 44
Issue 2
Pages 139-185
DOI https://doi.org/10.1179/0075891412z.0000000007
Keywords Landscape, Agro-pastoral, Wool, Bronze Age, Cities, Settlement.

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