The Origin and Development of Pyrotechnology in Prehistoric Western Asia

2003年在土耳其安纳托利亚东南部的伊苏大坝库区进行了勘察调查。特别是在Salat Cami Yani，这似乎是最有希望进行这项研究的地点，进行了详细的地表调查，以生成地形图并收集地表材料。在接下来的三年里，在萨拉特卡米亚尼的发掘中，人们发现了新石器时代陶器的三个阶段，这代表了这个时期前半段的分层顺序。根据陶器的各个方面，很明显，Salat Cami Yani的最新阶段（第三阶段）与被认为是美索不达米亚北部最早的陶器“原始哈苏纳”陶器组合相当。因此，Salat Cami Yani的前两个阶段（第一阶段和第二阶段）可以被视为该地区最早的陶器。第一阶段的陶器含有大量的矿物包裹体，抛光良好。织物和容器形状清楚地表明，这些容器非常适合烹饪。人们认为，陶器是在美索不达米亚北部发明的，主要基于“原哈苏纳”材料，用于储存或盛放食物。但现在我们可以坚持认为，根据萨拉特·卡米·亚尼的新证据，这种解释是完全不正确的，这些证据一直表明与北美索不达米亚有文化关系。另外，还发现了墙上的灰泥碎片和烧石灰的炉子，这是烟火技术的另一个证据。值得一提的是，石灰石膏在安纳托利亚底格里斯河流域盛行，而在美索不达米亚北部则以石膏为主。不幸的是，没有获得任何早期冶金的可靠证据，而发现了一些铜矿石或孔雀石碎片。

In 2003 reconnaissance surveys were carried out in the reservoir area of the Ihsu Dam in Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. Especially at Salat Cami Yani, which seemed to be the most promising site for this research, detailed surface surveys were made to generate a topographic map and to collect surface materials. In the following three years excavations at Salat Cami Yani revealed that there were three phases of the Pottery Neolithic Period, which represented a well stratified sequence for the earlier half of this period.Based on the aspects of the pottery, it became clear that the latest phase of Salat Cami Yani (Phase 3) was well comparable to the "Proto-Hassuna" pottery assemblage which has been thought to be the earliest pottery in the north Mesopotamia. Accordingly the earlier two phases (Phase 1 and Phase 2) of Salat Cami Yani can be treated as the earliest pottery in this region. The pottery of Phase 1 contains lots of mineral inclusions and is well burnished. The fabrics and vessel shapes clearly indicate that these vessels are well suitable for cooking. It has been believed that pottery was invented for storage purposes or serving foods in north Mesopotamia, mainly based on the "Proto-Hassuna" materials. But now we can maintain that such explanation is totally incorrect according to the new evidences from Salat Cami Yani, which consistently show cultural relationship with north Mesopotamia.As another evidences for pyrotechnology, fragments of wall plaster and lime burning ovens were also detected. It is worth mentioning that lime plaster prevails in the Anatolian Tigris Valley contrary to north Mesopotamia, where gypsum is predominant. Unfortunately any secured evidence for early metallurgy was not obtained, while some pieces of copper ores or malachite were found.