The Late Neolithic site of Shir: The settlement and its surroundings of the 7th millennium BC in the northern Levant

哈马附近新石器时代晚期的夏尔定居点位于黎凡特北部的腹地，也就是说，位于西亚最有利的地区之一。到目前为止识别出的地层层序证实，该遗址的人类居住在公元前7000至6300/6100年之间。在那之后，它被废弃了，可能是因为气候变化，再也没有重新安置过。从2006年到2010年，德国考古研究所大马士革分院和叙利亚文物局对该遗址进行了系统的调查。到目前为止，希尔的考古田野工作主要集中在三个地区：1.南部地区，2006年至2009年期间进行了挖掘，整个聚落序列由六层建筑组成，一直追溯到基岩；2.东北部地区，2008年至2010年进行了挖掘，暴露了几座特殊的建筑，这些建筑有像单元格一样的房间；3.中部地区，2009年开始大规模挖掘，2010年开始另一次深度探测。进行挖掘，目的是确定遗址的地层、特殊建筑的功能分析和定居点的布局。此外，定居点与其周围环境之间的联系特别令人感兴趣。根据在八个田野季节中可以检索到的数据，Shir可以被认为是新石器时代早期晚期的关键地点之一，在那里可以根据非常广泛的数据库来处理许多关于物质文化发展和社会问题的问题。数据处理的初步结果表明，持续到公元前8千年，特别是在建筑元素、埋葬方式和石器方面。此外，在早期陶器的发展中也有很强的地区性成分。由于叙利亚自2011年春季以来的政治事态发展，该项目原定于2011年和2012年的时间表未能实现，包括实地研究和评估工作，工作完全集中在材料加工和最后出版物(Shir I：新石器时代晚期Shir遗址)第一卷的准备上。2006年至2009年在南部地区的发掘)。手稿的工作计划于2013年上半年完成。2013年至2015年下一阶段工作的目标是评估东北部和中部地区的考古田野工作成果。记录的数据将使地层学、建筑学、小发现、石器、陶器、人类学和植物学发现得以全面和迅速地公布。这些成果将作为最终出版物的第二卷和第三卷出版(第二卷：夏尔的新石器时代晚期遗址)。2008-2010年东北地区的发掘；卷三：新石器时代晚期的夏尔遗址。2009年至2010年在中部地区的发掘)。

The late Neolithic settlement of Shir near Hama is situated in the hinterland of the northern Levant, that is, in one of the most favourable regions of western Asia. The stratigraphic sequence distinguished thus far confirms that the site was inhabited between 7000 and 6300/6100 calBC. After that it was abandoned, perhaps due to climatic change and never resettled again. From 2006 to 2010 the site has been systematically investigated by the Damascus Branch of the German Archaeological Institute and by the Syrian Department of Antiquities. Archaeological fieldwork at Shir have focused on three areas thus far:1. The southern area where excavations were carried out between 2006 and 2009, and where the entire settlement sequence consisting of six building levels was traced down to bedrock;2. The northeastern area, where excavations were undertaken from 2008 to 2010, exposing several special buildings with cell like rooms; 3. The central area, where large scale excavations started in 2009, and another deep sounding began in 2010. Excavations conducted aimed at determining the stratigraphy of the site, the functional analysis of the special buildings and the layout of the settlement. Moreover, the association between the settlement and its surroundings is of special interest. Based on the data which could be retrieved in the course of eight field seasons, Shir can be considered one of the key sites of the early Late Neolithic period, where numerous questions regarding the development of material culture, and social issues can be treated on the grounds of a very extensive data base. The preliminary results of the data processing point to a durable continuity until the 8th millennium BC, particularly regarding architectural elements, burial practices and lithics. Also, and a strong regional component in the development of early pottery can be traced. Due to political developments in Syria since the spring of 2011, the original schedule of the project for 2011 and 2012, including field research and evaluation work could not be realized and the work has been focused entirely on material processing and preparation of the first volume of the final publication (Shir I: The Late Neolithic Site of Shir. The Excavations at the South Area 2006 to 2009). Work on the manuscript is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2013. The aims for the next phase of work from 2013 to 2015 are centered on the evaluation of the results of archaeological fieldwork at the northeastern and central area. The data recorded will allow for a thorough and swift publication of the stratigraphy, architecture, small finds, lithics, pottery, anthropological and botanical finds. The results will be published as volumes II and III of the final publication (Volume II: The Late Neolithic site of Shir. The Excavations at the Northeast Area 2008 to 2010; Volume III: The Late Neolithic site of Shir. The Excavations at the Central Area 2009 to 2010).