Identifying activity areas in Neolithic sites through ethnographic analysis of phytoliths and geochemical residues

西南亚新石器时代（约11700 -7800 cal BP）是人类历史上的一个关键时期；正是在这段时间里，人们完成了从居住在临时营地的小型狩猎采集者群体向居住在大型定居社区的完全成熟的农业生产者的转变。人们做出这种转变的原因是我们这个时代悬而未决的重大问题之一。然而，显而易见的是，这种发展不仅改变了人们与环境互动的方式，也改变了社区内的社会结构，最终导致了复杂社会的发展。尽管新石器时代在西南亚很重要，但考古遗址，特别是前陶器时期（约11700 -8250 cal BP）的考古遗址，由于它们的短暂性和生物遗迹的稀缺性，往往难以解释。为了更好地了解这些地点，我们将开发和验证一种基于更持久形式的证据的方法，这些证据通常是人类活动的结果，即植物岩（在植物细胞内和周围形成的二氧化硅体）和地球化学元素（土壤中微量的化学物质，如磷、钙和锰）。目的是确定不同地区是否有特定的植物岩和地球化学特征，这些特征可以用来在考古学上识别这些地区。这将通过使用两种定居类型的民族志研究来实现：贝都因帐篷地点和废弃的泥和石头建造的村庄。之所以选择这些，是因为它们为新石器时代的遗址提供了最好的类比，这些遗址将作为本项目的一部分进行分析。贝都因帐篷遗址将成为瓦迪吉拉特和阿兹拉克小规模、短暂、游牧和季节性居住遗址的民族志类比，而约旦高原上Shawbak附近的废弃村庄和瓦迪穆萨北部的Shammakh村将成为Ain Ghazal、Beidha和WF16等更大规模、用石头和泥砖建造的遗址的比较。有限的现有人种学研究（在其他地理区域进行）集中于植物岩或地球化学元素，而不是两者兼而有之。他们证明，这些方法有助于了解住区内空间的使用情况。这个项目将是第一个整合这两种分析的大规模民族志研究。它也将首次探索埋藏法（即组合从产生到分析的过程）对植物岩和地球化学组合的组成有多大影响。作为首席研究员，詹金斯将在这项研究中得到一些杰出和经验丰富的研究人员的支持，即：卡罗尔·帕尔默博士（安曼英国研究所所长，黎凡特英国研究理事会cbrl），他将是项目合作伙伴。帕尔默最初采集了大部分贝都因营地的样本，将协助进行人种学工作和考古采样，作为CBRL的安曼主任，他处于一个独特的位置，可以安排约旦境内的实地工作，约翰·格拉坦教授（阿伯里斯特威斯大学副校长）将进行地球化学分析，随后担任海伦·史密斯博士（访问研究员）的顾问。伯恩茅斯大学)，他与帕尔默一起进行了贝都因营地的采样，并将为该项目的人种学方面提供建议。这代表了一支强大而经验丰富的多学科团队，在约旦开展研究的历史悠久（尽管以前没有合作过）。这个项目是参与者的兴趣和专业知识的自然高潮。此外，由于已经进行了大量昂贵的实地调查，而且Palmer和Grattan是在无薪的基础上投入时间的，因此这项研究为AHRC提供了物有所值的服务。

The Neolithic in southwest Asia (c 11,700-7800 cal BP) is a critical period in human history; it was during this time, that people made the transition from living in small hunter-gatherer groups, occupying temporary camps, to fully fledged agriculturalists living in large sedentary communities. The reason why people made this transition is one of the great unanswered questions of our time. What is apparent, however, is that this development not only altered the way people interacted with their environment, but also the social structure within communities, ultimately leading to the development of complex societies. Despite the importance of the Neolithic in southwest Asia, archaeological sites, particularly those from the earlier Pre-Pottery Periods (c 11,700-8250 cal BP), often prove difficult to interpret due to their ephemeral nature and the scarcity of biological remains. In order to gain a greater understanding of such sites, we will develop and validate a method based on more durable forms of evidence that are often the result of human activities, i.e. phytoliths (bodies of silica that form in and around plant cells) and geochemical elements (traces of chemicals in soils, e.g. phosphorous, calcium and manganese). The aim is to determine if different areas have specific phytolith and geochemical signatures which can be used to recognise these same areas archaeologically.This will be achieved through ethnographic research using two settlement types: Bedouin tent sites and abandoned mud and stone constructed villages. These have been chosen because they provide the best available analogies for the Neolithic sites which will be analysed as part of this project. The Bedouin tent sites will be the ethnographic analogy for the small scale, ephemeral, pastoralist, and seasonally occupied sites of Wadi el-Jilat and Azraq, while the abandoned villages near Shawbak on the Jordanian plateau and the village of Shammakh, north of Wadi Mousa will be the comparison for the more substantial, stone and mud brick constructed sites of Ain Ghazal, Beidha, and WF16. Limited existing ethnographic research (conducted in other geographical regions) has focused either on phytoliths or geochemical elements but not both. They demonstrated that these methods are informative about the use of space within settlements. This project will be the first large scale ethnographic study to integrate these two types of analysis. It will also be the first to explore how much taphonomy (i.e. the processes assemblages go through from creation to analysis) affects the composition of phytolith and geochemical assemblages.As Principal investigator, Jenkins will be supported in this research by a number of eminent and experienced researchers, namely: Dr Carol Palmer (Director of the British Institute in Amman, Council for British Research in the Levant-CBRL), who will be a Project Partner. Palmer originally took the majority of the Bedouin camp samples, will assist with the ethnographic work and archaeological sampling and, as Amman Director of the CBRL, is in a unique position to arrange the fieldwork from within Jordan Prof John Grattan (Pro Vice Chancellor, Aberystwyth University) who will conduct the geochemical analysis and subsequently act as an advisorDr Helen Smith, (Visiting Research Fellow, Bournemouth University) who carried out the Bedouin camp sampling with Palmer and will also advise on the ethnographic aspects of the project. This represents a strong and experienced multi-disciplinary team with an established history of conducting research in Jordan (although not previously together). This project is a natural culmination of the participants' interests and expertise. Furthermore, as much costly fieldwork has already been undertaken, and, as Palmer and Grattan are giving their time on a non-stipendiary basis, this research offers the AHRC excellent value for money.