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Hubs and upstarts: pathways to urbanism in the northern Fertile Crescent

Lawrence, D.; Wilkinson, T.J.

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Authors

T.J. Wilkinson



Abstract

The origins of urbanism are a controversial subject, with neo-evolutionary progress through graduated stages of ‘civilisation’ still having significant influence despite criticism, while others in the field prefer more diverse, regionally based trajectories. Using data collected over 30 years and applying the full range of archaeological and historical sources, the authors offer an alternative reading of the evidence, identifying multiple pathways to urbanism within a single region—northern Mesopotamia. Here, early urbanism was a phased and pulsating phenomenon that could be sustained only within particular geographic parameters and for limited periods. Older urban hubs, growing slowly, were accompanied by rapidly expanding new sites, with the combination of the different forms demonstrating the complexities of urban growth.

Citation

Lawrence, D., & Wilkinson, T. (2015). Hubs and upstarts: pathways to urbanism in the northern Fertile Crescent. Antiquity, 89(344), 328-344. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2014.44

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 19, 2014
Online Publication Date Apr 8, 2015
Publication Date Apr 8, 2015
Deposit Date Dec 17, 2014
Publicly Available Date Jan 27, 2015
Journal Antiquity
Print ISSN 0003-598X
Electronic ISSN 1745-1744
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 89
Issue 344
Pages 328-344
DOI https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2014.44
Keywords Late Chalcolithic, Early Bronze Age (EBA), Fertile Crescent, Urbanism, Tell, Survey, Database, Regional exchange.

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