List of figures

vi

Introduction

xv

1

The Palaeolithic

1

2

The Mesolithic or Epipalaeolithic

7

3

The Neolithic

16

4

The Chalcolithic

49

5

The Uruk culture: A civilization is born

118

6

When kingship descended upon the earth: the Jemdet Nasr and Early

191

Dynastic periods

7

Conclusions

278

Bibliography

285

Index

319

0.1

The Mesopotamian alluvial plain

xvi

1.1

A pre-pottery Neolithic skull from a Palestinian site

3

2.1

Masonry of cigar-shaped sun-dried mud bricks, aceramic

9

Neolithic site of Nemrik

2.2

Two of the phases of the aceramic Neolithic house at Qermez

12

Dere

2.3

The border between irrigated land and the clayey steppe in

14

southern Mesopotamia

3.1

A Neolithic ‘husking tray’

18

3.2

One of the tells in the clayey steppe of southern Mesopotamia

20

3.3

Painted and appliqué designs on Hassuna culture Neolithic

23

pottery from Yarimtepe I

3.4

Forms of Neolithic pottery of the Hassuna culture from

23

Yarimtepe I

3.5

An irrigated field in southern Mesopotamia

26

3.6

Forms of Hassuna culture Neolithic pottery from Yarimtepe I

28

3.7

The sun setting over the alluvial plain of southern Mesopotamia

28

3.8

Forms of Hassuna culture Neolithic pottery from Yarimtepe I

30

3.9

The river Euphrates, a scene familiar to the ancient

33

Mesopotamians

3.10

A Neolithic painted bowl of the Samarra culture

35

3.11

Reconstruction of the use of a Neolithic chipped-flint borer

37

3.12

Head of a Neolithic Samarra culture female statuette from Tell

38

Songor A

3.13

The river Euphrates leaves the Taurus mountain ranges and

41

flows into the Syrian plains

3.14

A Neolithic Samarra culture female statuette from Tell Songor

45

A

3.15

Neolithic chipped stone industry of the Hassuna culture from

45

Yarimtepe I

3.16

Examples of Neolithic ground stone industry and chipped stone

47

items of the Hassuna culture

3.17

Close to the Euphrates and Tigris rivers the clayey steppe gives

48

way to lush greenery

4.1

Examples of Neolithic ground stone ornaments from the

52

aceramic Neolithic site of Tell Maghzaliya

4.2

Examples of Neolithic ground stone industry from the aceramic

53

Neolithic site of Tell Maghzaliya

4.3

Neolithic ground stone bracelets from Tell Maghzaliya

55

4.4

A valley in the Taurus mountain range

56

4.5

Neolithic beads of stone and obsidian from Tell Maghzaliya

60

4.6

Neolithic beads of stone, obsidian and shell from Tell

60

Maghzaliya

4.7

Summits and slopes of the Taurus mountain ranges

62

4.8

A Neolithic ground stone hoe. Hassuna culture, Yarimtepe I

64

4.10

The estuary of the Nahr el-Kelb river on the outskirts of the

68

modern city of Beirut

4.11

Chalcolithic sickles of burnt clay. Ubaid to Uruk age

69

4.12

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Tell Brak

72

4.13

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Tell

73

Halaf

4.14

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Tell

75

Arpachiyah

4.15

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Tepe

76

Gawra

4.16

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Tell

78

Arpachiyah

4.17

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Tell

79

Arpachiyah

4.18

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Chagar

79

Bazar

4.19

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Halaf culture, the site of Chagar

80

Bazar

4.20

Ubaid culture sickles of baked clay point to the high level of

81

Ubaid pyrotechnology and know-how

4.21

A Chalcolithic painted cup. Halaf culture, the site of Chagar

83

Bazar

4.22

A Chalcolithic painted jar. Halaf culture, the site of Tell

83

Arpachiyah

4.23

A Chalcolithic painted jar. Halaf culture, the site of Tell

84

Arpachiyah

4.24

A Chalcolithic painted jar. Halaf culture, the site of Tell

85

Arpachiyah

4.25

The Mediterranean port of Byblos

86

4.26

A Chalcolithic model of a seagoing ship. Late Ubaid culture,

87

the site of Eridu

4.27

A Chalcolithic painted jar. Final phase of the Halaf culture, the

88

site of Tepe Gawra

4.28

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Early Ubaid culture, the site of

90

Eridu

4.29

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Early Ubaid culture, the site of

91

Eridu

4.30

A Chalcolithic painted bowl. Early Ubaid culture, the site of

92

Eridu

4.31

Typical local houses built of clay or stone with ceilings of

94

timber

4.32

Chalcolithic painted cups. Late Ubaid culture, the site of Eridu

95

4.33

A Chalcolithic spouted bottle and spouted painted jugs. Late

96

Ubaid culture, the site of Eridu

4.34

Modern houses with domed roofs of clay in Harran, south-east

96

Turkey

4.35

A Chalcolithic female statuette. Halaf culture, the site of

99

Yarimtepe III

4.36

Chalcolithic animal figurines. Halaf culture, the site of

99

Yarimtepe III