A STUDY Of THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE IN THE PREHISTORIC WESTERN ASIA BASED ON THE. MOR.TUARY PRACTICES

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Burial evidences attested at a Neolithic settlement of Tell Ain el-Kerkh in northwestern Syria are examined in details from the point of view of burial positions, body directions, grave goods and their spatial distribution.Based on the evidence of age and sex distribution it becomes dear that the most of the burials found atTell Ain elKerkh are consisted of infants and juveniles including fetus and adult burials are rather exceptional. It seems quite likely that graveyard is already established in somewhere outside of the settlement at latest in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (PPNB) or El-Rouj period 1. Although the most prevailing burial style is simple inhumations with contracted position, especially in El-Rouj 2d period, the final phase of the Pottery Neolithic, several types of burials are recognised. It is possible that such alteration seen among the burial practices reflects the change of the social structure. It is necessary to obtain more elaborated evidence from the graveyard which has not been attested so far.General aspects of the mortuary practices in the previous and subsequent periods of the Pottery Neolithic period are also examined. In the Natufian period bodies of adults are buried within the settlements. It demonstratesthat the graveyard is not yet established and the dead are treated in the same ways without considering the difference of the age and sex. In the Halaf period graveyard is attested at Yarim Tepe I which is located outside of the settlement The burials found in the graveyards bears rather homogenous aspects; similar positions, body directions. On the contrary most of the burials found within the settlement are either infants inhumations or unusual one such as cremation and removed skull. The aspects of Halatian burials within the settlements are similar to Tell Ain el-Kerkh.