Investigation of the Process of Neolithization in Southwest Asia Using Zooarchaeological Data : Process of Animal Domestication and the Beginning of Nomadic Pastoralism

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The aim of this project was to investigate domestication processes of sheep, goat, cattle and pig, and to trace the development of pastoralism in Southwestern Asia. The project leader and some of the investigators has demonstrated in the previous study (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research B 12571041,2000-2002) that domestication process of ungulates gradually progressed from the middle PPNB, and that domestic livestock became very important in the end of PPNB and early Pottery Neolithic (c.8500-7500 years ago). In southern Jordan, adaptation to arid environment and nomadic pastoralism seem to have started in late Neolithic. In the present project, we focused on the period between late PPNB to early Pottery Neolithic, when domestic animals became increasingly significant in subsistence economy in the region.During the period of the present project, we carried out excavations of Neolithic sites in southeastern Turkey and southern Jordan. In addition, faunal remains from late PPNB to ear … More ly Pottery Neolithic levels at Cayonu in upper Tigris were analyzed. In order to test the hypothesis that practice of summer transhumance was important in the course of development of nomadic pastoralism, we also gathered information on animal keeping and dairy production in the mountain region in northeastern Turkey.Analysis of animal bone remains from Cayonu showed that a shift from generalized subsistence strategy to heavy reliance on domestic sheep and goat took place in the end of PPNB, continuing into early Pottery Neolithic in southeastern Anatolia. Faunal remains from Salat Cami Yani, an early Pottery,Neolithic site in upper Tigris revealed that the economy depending on sheep, goat, cattle, and pig has already established at the site.The majority of faunal remains from Wadi Abu Tulayha, a late PPNB site in southern Jordan, were gazelle bones, which demonstrated that the site was an outpost for gazelle hunting used probably in the spring. Importantly, a small number of domestic sheep and goat bones were also found, which indicated domestic animals accompanied the seasonal movement of the people. Such seasonal transhumance was the basis for later development of nomadic pastoralism. Less