Papers by Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow
Der Fundplatz Shir konnte durch den Survey des mittleren Orontes (Deutsches Archäologisches Insti... more Der Fundplatz Shir konnte durch den Survey des mittleren Orontes (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut), unter der Leitung von Karin Bartl (2003-2005), im Jahre 2005 entdeckt werden. Er liegt ca. 12km nordwestlich der Provinzhauptstadt Hama, auf einem Plateau, 30m oberhalb des Orontes- Nebenflusses Nahr as-Sarut. Die Lage an einer Flussaue sowie in einer offenen Waldlandschaft, eine permanente Wasserversorgung durch Flüsse, Wadis und Karstquellen wie auch die fruchtbaren Böden und das milde Klima begünstigen eine landwirtschaftliche Nutzung und schafften die Voraussetzung für eine lange Besiedlungsdauer, die das gesamte keramische Neolithikum umfasst (ca. 7.000–6.200/6.100 BC). Untersuchungsschwerpunkt bilden die lithischen Kleinfunde der Tiefschnittsequenz K7 und L7 der Jahre 2005 bis 2007. Es wurden 35.651 Silex- und Obsidian-Artefakte analysiert. Fragenkomplexe wie Rohmaterialbeschaffung und -ökonomie, Produktionsprozess und die darin angewendeten Kernreduktionsverfahren, Grundform...
Since 2010, the German Archaeological Institute, Orient Department, Damascus Branch, conducts a h... more Since 2010, the German Archaeological Institute, Orient Department, Damascus Branch, conducts a hinterland survey around the ancient city of Gadara in north-western Jordan. The steep and sloping terrain with its mostly deflated surfaces is on the one hand difficult to survey and on the other hand only rarely allows for finding in situ findspots. Actual sites or findspots almost exclusively consist of ancient quarries, water channels and rock shelters which are still in use. Nevertheless, the region is rich in lithic material of different time periods, but with a dominant evidence of Middle-Paleolithic material. In addition, pottery and glass of predominantly/especially Roman origin and pottery of Islamic periods are evidence for the continuously settled area.
The site of eh-Sayyeh is one of the most important Neolithic settlements in northern Jordan and w... more The site of eh-Sayyeh is one of the most important Neolithic settlements in northern Jordan and was 2013–2015 subject of extensive soundings. The main objective was the study of the transition between the early and late Neolithic period at the end of the 8th / beginning of the 7th century BC. By evaluating the lithic material, simplified production techniques could be demonstrated, which were applied mainly at household level. The manufacture of special types of tools, for which particular knowledge is required, is comparatively rare. However, the high number of borers in the tool kit indicates a certain specialisation in the tool production at the site.
Fieldwork in 2015/2016 (K. Bartl)The Neolithic site Mushash 163 in the western desert steppe (bad... more Fieldwork in 2015/2016 (K. Bartl)The Neolithic site Mushash 163 in the western desert steppe (badia) of Jordan has been investigated since 2014 in cooperation with the Department of Antiquities of Jordan. During the excavations in the years 2015 and 2016, four round structures were recorded, which date back to the period between 8800 and 8400 cal BC, that is, the end of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) (9800–8600 cal BC) and the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (EPPNB) (8600–8300/8200 cal BC). This period, which has been documented rather little in the southern Levant, is of particular importance for the understanding of the process of neolithization, since it is associated with the beginning of domestication in the northern regions of West Asia. The work at the site of Mushash 163 aims to shed new light on this crucial period (of transition) in the southern Levant. The lithic material (D. Rokitta-Krumnow)The site of Mushash 163 is one of the very few Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B se...
, in: L. Astruc, C. McCartney, F. Briois and V. Kassianidou (eds.), Near Eastern Lithic Technologies on the Move. Interactions and Contexts in Neolithic Traditions, 8th International Conference on PPN Chipped and Ground Stone Industries of the Near East, Nicosia, November 23rd-27th 2016, Nicosia, 2019
Innovative stone technologies in the development of agricultural practices 27. Itay Abadi and Leo... more Innovative stone technologies in the development of agricultural practices 27. Itay Abadi and Leore Grosman Sickle blade technology in the Late Natufian of the Southern Levant Contents vii 28. Fiona Pichon Utilisation des outils en silex pour l'exploitation alimentaire et artisanale des végétaux à Dja'de el-Mughara durant le PPNB ancien (Syrie, 9ème millénaire) 29. Lena Brailovsky-Rokser and A. Nigel Goring-Morris Pre-Pottery Neolithic B sickle blades in regional context: evidence from Galilee Continuities and discontinuities 30. Iris Groman-Yaroslavski The emergence of a blade-oriented industry during the PPNA-technology embedded in a Natufian concept 31. Tobias Richter and Maria Mawla Continuity and discontinuity in the Late Epipalaeolithic (Natufian): the lithic industry from Shubayqa 1 32. Theresa Barket Flaked-stone assemblage variation during the Late Pottery Neolithic B at 'Ain Ghazal: what could it mean?
in: A. Ahrens, D. Rokitta-Krumnow, F. Bloch, C. Bührig (eds.), Drawing the Threads Together. Studies on Archaeology in Honour of Karin Bartl, Münster, 165-186., 2020
Orientalistische Literaturzeitung
Documenta Praehistorica
Our contribution explores the possibilities of inferring the functions of Late Neolithic projecti... more Our contribution explores the possibilities of inferring the functions of Late Neolithic projectile points from the settlement of Shir, Syria. Use-wear and metrical values are applied to differentiate between arrowheads, darts and thrusting spears, followed by a discussion of hints for use for hunting or as weapons for interpersonal conflict. Weapons get larger and more visible exactly in the moment when hunting declines as a basis for subsistence. This economical transformation would have produced considerable change for individuals who previously defined themselves as hunters. The social practice of hunting may (at least partially) have been substituted by prowess in interpersonal conflict.
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Talks by Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow
Conflict and warfare studies constitute an important field of study in the last years. However, i... more Conflict and warfare studies constitute an important field of study in the last years. However, in studies on the Near Eastern Neolithic this topic has received little attention. The few existent studies (collected in one special issue of the journal Neo-Lithics 2010) are concerned predominantly with theoretical issues, like origin and genesis of Neolithic conflict. The identification of markers for hostilities in the archaeological record in the Late Neolithic, like site abandonments, the existence of fortifications or presumed alliances of settlements is related preponderantly to the assumption of general, inter-group conflicts.
The present paper aims to discuss certain forms of conflicts in the Late Neolithic which are related to individuality and personhood of possible warriors. The analysis of projectile points from some Late PPNB-Early PN sites in the Northern Levant shows a significant increase in their size. This correlates with occasional decoration or the manufacturing from exotic materials like obsidian and good quality flint. Surprisingly this development coincides with a decay of other categories of flint objects, which become smaller and amorphous and with the presumed collapse of the over-regional obsidian exchange networks. The new developments in projectile points could be related to warfare practices, more so as archaeozoological studies show that hunting strongly decreases in this period. We interpret the new weapons as probably personalized prestige weapons, which play an important role in the individual development of single persons. The social practice of hunting was maybe substituted by interpersonal conflict as a means to form and perpetuate identities.
Book Sections by Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow
We dedicate this small contribution to Sumio Fujii, who has shed new light on various aspects of ... more We dedicate this small contribution to Sumio Fujii, who has shed new light on various aspects of the Neolithic Period in the Near East, and especially in Jordan. We truly hope that it will find his interest. Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow: I am happy to contribute to this Festschrift for Sumio not only because of his detailed knowledge of the Levantine PPN, our discussions about the EPPNB, his assistance and help when my paper was only mediocre, or his well-prepared contributions to the journal Neo-Lithics, but also because I really enjoy his companionship, sitting together with coffee and cigarettes, or a beer, at conferences in Berlin, Vienna, Nicosia, and -hopefully next -in Tokyo!
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Papers by Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow
Talks by Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow
The present paper aims to discuss certain forms of conflicts in the Late Neolithic which are related to individuality and personhood of possible warriors. The analysis of projectile points from some Late PPNB-Early PN sites in the Northern Levant shows a significant increase in their size. This correlates with occasional decoration or the manufacturing from exotic materials like obsidian and good quality flint. Surprisingly this development coincides with a decay of other categories of flint objects, which become smaller and amorphous and with the presumed collapse of the over-regional obsidian exchange networks. The new developments in projectile points could be related to warfare practices, more so as archaeozoological studies show that hunting strongly decreases in this period. We interpret the new weapons as probably personalized prestige weapons, which play an important role in the individual development of single persons. The social practice of hunting was maybe substituted by interpersonal conflict as a means to form and perpetuate identities.
Book Sections by Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow
The present paper aims to discuss certain forms of conflicts in the Late Neolithic which are related to individuality and personhood of possible warriors. The analysis of projectile points from some Late PPNB-Early PN sites in the Northern Levant shows a significant increase in their size. This correlates with occasional decoration or the manufacturing from exotic materials like obsidian and good quality flint. Surprisingly this development coincides with a decay of other categories of flint objects, which become smaller and amorphous and with the presumed collapse of the over-regional obsidian exchange networks. The new developments in projectile points could be related to warfare practices, more so as archaeozoological studies show that hunting strongly decreases in this period. We interpret the new weapons as probably personalized prestige weapons, which play an important role in the individual development of single persons. The social practice of hunting was maybe substituted by interpersonal conflict as a means to form and perpetuate identities.