Week 7 Reading Notes: Oates 2014 Prehistory Rise of Cities

JOAN OATES - The Spread of the 'Ubaid Economy and its Significance

3.7 Overview of Economic Systems

  • Comparison between south and north economies:

    • Southern Mesopotamia shows a distinct economy supported by seals and administrative methods.

    • North relies on a rain-fed economy and is marked by early population growth.

    • Source for current understanding: Carter & Philips (2010).

  • Key Characteristics of the 'Ubaid Economy:

    • Known as a "staple finance" economy (Stein 1994).

    • No evidence of wealth distribution or "warring chiefdoms" during this period.

    • Larger sites such as Zeidan and 'Uqair suggest a complex social structure exceeding two tiers.

    • The 'Ubaid phase set the template for Mesopotamian urban design and structure.

    • Expansion of the economy appears peaceful, establishing a foundation for urban society.

Late Chalcolithic Phase (c. 4500-3200 BCE)

  • Transition from 'Ubaid to Late Chalcolithic:

    • Southern Mesopotamia exhibits an unclear transition, noted in pottery changes.

    • At Warka, evidence of 'Ubaid settlements though later levels prove hard to identify.

    • Northern Mesopotamia sees a clearer transition with growing complexity through examples from sites like:

    • Brak

    • Tell Peres (Forest & Vallet, 2008)

    • Zeidan

    • This includes a decrease in painted pottery and the rise of new production techniques and the potter's wheel usage.

  • Technical Advances:

    • Introduction of chaff over mineral temper due to efficiency in kiln use.

    • Emergence of the Coba bowl as the first mass-produced ceramic type, dominating early Late Chalcolithic periods in Syria and the Levant (nearly 50% presence in Tell Hammam et-Turkman).

    • Despite first appearing at 'Ubaid Tell Uqair, the Coba bowl is primarily found in western distributions.

  • Later Developments:

    • The wide flowerpot becomes prevalent in LC2, found across northern Mesopotamia, Syria, and southeast Turkey.

    • Confusion exists in distinguishing Coba bowls from other similar ceramic forms.

    • The purpose of these bowls remains debated; potential uses include:

    • Distribution of worker rations.

    • Possible baking containers for bread (noted correlation with the pictographic sign for bread).

  • Administrative Evidence Indicators:

    • Increased use of seals in Brak during the 5th and early 4th millennium, indicating administrative complexity.

    • Large seals featuring lion motifs appeared, denoting royal authority and urban complexity.

The City of Brak

  • Brak: Emergence as the largest early city in comparison to Warka:

    • Size: 55 hectares in LC2 and 130 hectares in LC3; discovery of about 188 sites within 20km.

    • Unique 5 km unoccupied radius allowing agricultural land and protection.

    • Architecture: Adoption of the tripartite house plan found across sites like Gawra, Brak, and Tell Peres.

    • Wealth evident in artifacts from Tepe Gawra, including gold and obsidian objects.

    • Discovery of a hoard of 350+ beads in Brak made from various precious materials indicates trade networks.

Cylinder Seals and Administrative Texts

  • Introduction of cylinder seals around the Middle Uruk phase (mid-4th millennium):

    • Found at major sites like Warka and Brak.

    • Provides easier surface marking on clay for documents ensuring administrative integrity.

Late 4th-Millennium Developments in Southern Mesopotamia

  • Dominant site: Uruk (modern-day Warka):

    • Development from settlements near Euphrates river.

    • Monumental constructions include:

    • Eanna (public buildings center)

    • Anu Ziggurrat with the White Temple.

    • Preservation issues hinder thorough investigation of earlier levels and effects of later Seleucid structures.

  • Discovery of archaic tablets under Eanna, representing critical archaeological findings in civilization's progression.

Uruk Expansion and Encounters

  • Archaeological surveys prompted by dam constructions in the Euphrates led to discovering "colony sites" at:

    • Habuba Kabira, Jebel Aruda, Tell Shaikh Hassan, and connections to Tell Brak and Nineveh.

  • The colonization motive remains speculative but involves acquiring raw materials from Anatolia.

  • Abrupt abandonment of sites with contents left untouched raises questions regarding tribal movements.

The Rise of Early Cities (3000-2400 BCE)

  • Distinction between first Semitic and Sumerian influences:

    • Tribal origins of Semitic societies led to different social, linguistic, and political structures compared to Sumerians.

    • Well-established early cities like Kish, separated by desert from urban centers like Ur and Uruk, indicating evolving political dynamics.

Early Writing Systems and Their Implications

  • Clay tokens serve as early memory "prompts" and numerical records:

    • Role extended from gaming pieces to functional counting tools.

  • Geometric tokens evolve to represent numbers rather than direct object identification.

  • Introduction of tokens within clay spheres suggests a growing need for security as urban areas expanded.

  • The existence of written Sumerian language began to dominate administrative texts, and complex systems of language development are apparent:

    • Multisyllabic terms from various origins complicate Sumerian linguistic classification.

    • Diverse number systems (including rations and general accounting) suggest advanced population management and social organization.