A Study of the Settlement Organization in Neolithic Syria

我们于1990-1992年对叙利亚西北部的Rouj盆地进行了深入的综合调查，结果表明，在新石器时代，该盆地存在两种等级聚落系统。其中一个系统包括tell el-Kerkh的大型建筑群和周围的两个新石器时代的小建筑群。我们计划挖掘Tell el-Kerkh，以研究这样一个大型新石器时代定居点的管理系统，我们在1997年和1998年进行了挖掘和自然环境研究。挖掘工作已在Tell Ain el-Kerkh的中部、北部和西北部地区进行，这是Tell el-Kerkh建筑群的北部。这三个地区产生了大量新石器时代的建筑和材料。我们在Tell Aim el-Kerkh的两个季节的所有工作表明，从公元前七世纪末到公元前六千年，一系列大型新石器时代定居点的存在，除了大量的陶器和石块碎片外，还获得了一些重要的材料，可以用来考虑新石器时代定居点的管理制度。一些最有趣的材料是由石头和骨头制成的印章，包括未完成的石头印章，以及正面有印章印痕，背面有绳子和绳索痕迹的粘土印章。许多由当地和非当地石头制成的珠子，如绿松石、蛇纹石和黑曜石，也很引人注目。一些未完成的珠子和破碎的燧石钻一起被发现。这些材料表明，新石器时代的Tell el-Kerkh定居点进口了各种各样的石头，印章和珠子的生产也在定居点内进行。密封系统也起了作用。越来越清楚的是，新石器时代的Tell el-Kerkh定居点不仅覆盖了广阔的区域，而且还拥有高度复杂的社会经济系统。

We executed the intensive general surveys of the Rouj Basin, northwest Syria, in 1990-1992, and our results indicated that there had been two hierarchical settlement systems in the Basin during the Neolithic period. One of the systems includes the large tell complex of Tell el-Kerkh and two small Neolithic tells around it. We planned to excavate Tell el-Kerkh to study the administration system of such a large Neolithic settlement, and we executed our excavations and natural environmental studies in 1997 and 1998.The excavation has been carried out in the central, the north, and the northwest areas of Tell Ain el-Kerkh, the northern part of the tell complex at Tell el-Kerkh. These three areas produced plentiful Neolithic structures and materials. All of our operations of two seasons at Tell Aim el-Kerkh indicated the existence of a series of large Neolithic settlements from the end of the 7th through the 6th millennium uncal.b.c.In addition to a quite large number of pottery and chipped stones, some important materials, which can be used for considering the management system of Neolithic settlements, were also obtained by the excavations. Some of the most interesting materials are stamp seals made of stone and bone including unfinished stone ones, and clay sealings which having the seal impressions on the front and trace of string and cord marks on the reverse side. A lot of beads made of local and non-local stones such as turquoise, serpentinite and obsidian, are also notable. Some unfinished beads were discovered together with broken flint drills. These materials indicate that the Neolithic settlements of Tell el-Kerkh imported various kinds of stones, and that seal and bead production were executed within the settlements. The sealing system also worked there. It is becoming clear that the Neolithic settlements of Tell el-Kerkh not only covered a vast areal expanse but also possessed a highly complex socio-economic system.