Exploring the Emergence of Farming
Investigate the similarities between Early Neolithic WF16 in southern Jordan and Göbekli Tepe in Anatolia. Learn how expansive social networks with shared symbolism and ideology may have underpinned the emergence of farming.
🅰ntiquity Journal
Antiquity is a bimonthly review of world archaeology edited by @RobertEWitcher. Please be aware that we sometimes share relevant images of human remains.
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NEW similarities between Early #Neolithic WF16 (southern Jordan) and Göbekli Tepe (Anatolia) suggest that expansive social networks with shared #symbolism and #ideology underpinned the emergence of #farming 🧵
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023
🆓 https://t.co/HF9Pv2mmrd
📷 E. Jamieson & authors pic.twitter.com/RaVZ7rsAZO -
The transition from hunting and gathering to farming caused changes to all aspects of life. This shift was likely gradual, and facilitated by extensive social networks.
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023
Researchers have found new evidence of connections across south-west Asia from when farming emerged. pic.twitter.com/fv3vPHTPoY -
Göbekli Tepe was likely a seasonal gathering place for dispersed hunter-gatherers, allowing for the exchange of ideas across wide distances.
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023
The site of WF16 in southern Jordan is also a candidate for a gathering place due to the presence of a large ampitheatre-like building. pic.twitter.com/hDp9zooe2J -
Technology such as El-Khiam lithic points have been found across the region, showing how material culture was widely distributed and consistent. However, the flow of symbolism and ideology has been harder to track.
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023
📷 from Rémy Crassard et al. (2013) https://t.co/XOk5IO0EK7 pic.twitter.com/sHXHmpMmWT -
Benches with geometric designs appear widely, and geometric designs are also common on stone vessels.
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023
At Göbekli Tepe and WF16, raptor bones are also present. They may have been used in costumes for communal performances.
📷 S. Mithen & B. Finlayson pic.twitter.com/PYP8lciSZo -
Depictions of human faces share similarities over distances too. The stone face from WF16 has more in common with distant Jerf el Ahmar than the nearer Nahal Ein Gev II.
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023
📷 Stordeur & Abbès (2002) https://t.co/sWQQzfzy2Q , Grosman et al. (2017) https://t.co/0JdddKBGC0 & authors pic.twitter.com/6HqnmVue5W -
The treatment of human remains are comparable across the region, with evidence of painting and plastering human bones, possibly through the process of wrapping the bodies in textiles coated with paint and plaster. pic.twitter.com/vl04iXBZM3
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023 -
The consistency in symbolism across a wide area may not indicate a shared ideology, but it certainly shows a flow of ideas between north and south.
— 🅰ntiquity Journal (@AntiquityJ) June 1, 2023
This network was present even before the emergence of farming, and likely played a part in its spread.
🆓 https://t.co/HF9Pv2mmrd pic.twitter.com/eME9HFal4g