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

在叙利亚西北部的新石器时代定居点Tell Ain el-Kerkh，我们从埋葬位置、身体方向、坟墓物品及其空间分布的角度详细研究了埋葬证据。根据年龄和性别分布的证据，很明显，在tell Ain elKerkh发现的大多数埋葬是由婴儿和青少年组成的，包括胎儿和成年人的埋葬是相当罕见的。很有可能最晚在前陶器新石器时代B期（PPNB）或El-Rouj时期1，墓地已经在定居点外的某个地方建立起来了。虽然最普遍的埋葬方式是简单的土葬，尤其是在El-Rouj - 2d时期，即新石器陶器的最后阶段，但有几种类型的埋葬方式是公认的。这种丧葬习俗的变化可能反映了社会结构的变化。有必要从墓地中获得迄今尚未得到证实的更详细的证据。在陶器新石器时代的前期和后续时期的殡葬实践的一般方面也进行了检查。在纳图夫时期，成年人的尸体被埋在定居点内。这表明墓地尚未建立，死者没有考虑年龄和性别的差异，以同样的方式对待。在Halaf时期，位于定居点外的Yarim Tepe I证实了墓地，墓地中发现的墓葬具有相当同质的方面；相似的姿势，身体方向。相反，在定居点内发现的大多数埋葬方式要么是婴儿的土葬，要么是不寻常的土葬，比如火葬和移除头骨。定居点内哈拉蒂亚人的墓葬与泰尔·艾因·克尔赫相似。

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.