Exploring the Neo-Assyrian Frontier with Western Iran The 2015 Season at Gird-i Bazar and Qalat-i Dinka

Transkript

1 Exploring the Neo-Assyrian Frontier with Western Iran The 2015 Season at Gird-i Bazar and Qalat-i Dinka edited by Karen Radner, F. Janoscha Kreppner and Andrea Squitieri PeWe-Verlag 2016

2 Gedruckt mit Unterstützung der Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen National bibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über abrufbar. PeWe-Verlag Gladbeck 2016 Alle Rechte, insbesondere das Recht der Vervielfältigung und Verbreitung sowie der Übersetzung, vorbehalten. Kein Teil des Werkes darf in irgendeiner Form durch Fotokopie, Mikrofilm usw. ohne schriftliche Genehmigung des Verlages reproduziert oder unter Verwendung elektronischer Systeme verarbeitet, vervielfältigt oder verbreitet werden. Layout und Prepress: PeWe-Verlag, Gladbeck Umschlaggestaltung: PeWe-Verlag, Gladbeck Umschlagabbildung: Gird-i Bazar, Building H, Room 17 Peter Bartl Gedruckt auf alterungsbeständigem Papier Printed in Germany ISBN:

3 Table of contents Preface... 9 A. Introducing the Peshdar Plain Project (Karen Radner) A1. The geographical setting and the 2015 team A2. The scope of this volume B. Approaching the Peshdar Plain B1. The Peshdar Plain in the Neo-Assyrian period: the Border March of the Palace Herald (Karen Radner) B2. Landscape and geoarchaeology of the Bora Plain (Mark Altaweel & Anke Marsh) B2.1 Methods B2.1.1 Remote sensing B2.1.2 Geomorphological survey B2.1.3 Geoarchaeological investigations B2.2 The environmental setting of the Bora Plain B2.3 Artificial irrigation by qanat (karez) B2.4 Regional geomorphological processes B2.5 Geoarchaeological investigations in the Bora Plain, B2.5.1 Trench GA B2.5.2 Trench GA B2.5.3 Trench GA B2.5.4 Preliminary conclusions B2.6 Future research B3. Surface survey of the Dinka settlement complex, (Jessica Giraud) B3.1 Methods B3.2 History of discovery and survey at the Dinka settlement complex B3.3 The layout of the Dinka settlement complex B3.4 Continuity in occupation from the Chalcolithic to the modern period B3.5 Hydrological structures around the Dinka settlement complex 33 B3.6 The connection with the settlement at Gawr Miran B3.7 Conclusions B4. The magnetometer survey of Qalat-i Dinka and Gird-i Bazar, 2015 (Jörg Fassbinder & Andrei Ašandulesei) B4.1 Methods B4.2 The magnetometer survey at Gird-i Bazar B4.3 The magnetometer survey at Qalat-i Dinka C. Excavating Gird-i Bazar: the 2015 season C1. Introducing the excavation methodology (F. Janoscha Kreppner, Christoph Foster & Andrea Squitieri)... 43

4 6 Table of contents C1.1 A digital documentation system C1.2 A locus/collection registration system C1.3 The layout of the excavation at Gird-i Bazar, C2. Dating the occupation of Gird-i Bazar C2.1 Absolute chronology and ¹⁴C dating (Karen Radner) C2.2 Relative stratigraphy (F. Janoscha Kreppner & Andrea Squitieri) 52 C3. The Eastern Trench (John MacGinnis & F. Janoscha Kreppner) C3.1 The excavation squares C3.1.1 Square C3.1.2 Square C3.1.3 Square C3.2 The architectural units C3.2.1 Outdoor Area 1 with the pit C3.2.2 Courtyard C3.2.3 Building A = Room C3.2.4 Alley C3.2.5 Alley C3.2.6 Building B = Room C3.3 Summary C4. The Connecting Trench (Adam B. Stone) C4.1 Method C4.2 Square C4.3 Square C4.4 Square with the kiln C4.5 Square C4.6 Square C4.7 Square C4.8 Summary C5. The Western Trench: Square (Peter V. Bartl) C5.1 Method C5.2 General stratigraphy C5.3 The architectural units C5.3.1 Building F = Room C5.3.2 Building G = Room C5.3.3 Building H = Room C First phase C Second phase C5.3.4 Building I = Room C5.3.5 Building E C5.3.6 Alleys 12, 13 and C5.4 The period of abandonment and degradation C5.5 Summary D. Samples and finds from Gird-i Bazar, D1. The bioarchaeological sampling strategy (Tina Greenfield) D1.1 Research objectives D1.2 Bioarchaeological data collected D1.3 Bioarchaeological methodology: sampling procedures and protocols... 77

5 Table of contents 7 D1.3.1 Plant and animal remains D Zooarchaeological samples D Palaeobotanical remains D1.3.2 Human remains D1.4 Bioarchaeological analytical themes D1.5 Preliminary results D1.5.1 Plants and animals D1.5.2 Human remains D1.6 Future analyses D2. The pottery from Gird-i Bazar, 2015: a preliminary study (Jean-Jacques Herr) D2.1 Research questions D2.2 Periodisation and its terminology D2.2.1 The chronological classification of pottery as Neo-Assyrian 81 D2.2.2 The archaeological phases of the Neo-Assyrian period D2.2.3 The designation Iron Age IV in the Iranian Zagros region D2.3 Method D2.4 The ceramic corpus of the 2015 excavations at Gird-i Bazar D2.4.1 Technical aspects D Burnishing technique D Red slip D Firing process D2.4.2 Preliminary fabric classification based on macroscopic characteristics D Fabric class A: Very Coarse Ware D Fabric class B: Coarse Ware D Fabric class C: Medium Coarse Ware D Fabric class D: Medium Fine Ware D Fabric class E: Fine Ware D2.4.3 Morpho-stylistic groups D Open shapes D Hemispherical bowls D Hemispherical bowls with triangular rims D Carinated bowls D Coarse plates (or lids?) and trays D Closed shapes D Jars D Pots D Pots with handles D Miscellanea D2.5 Preliminary conclusions D2.5.1 Chronological range of the ceramic assemblage from Gird-i Bazar D2.5.2 The Eastern frontier of the Assyrian Empire D3. Small finds (Eleanor Barbanes Wilkinson, Andrea Squitieri & Zahra Hashemi) D3.1 Introduction D3.2 Catalogue of selected small finds D3.2.1 Zoomorphic clay figurine D3.2.2 Brick fragment D3.2.3 Iron arrowhead ( bodkin )

6 8 Table of contents D3.2.4 Perforated metal object D3.2.5 Limestone jar stopper D3.2.6 Three limestone pounders D3.2.7 Two pebble mortars with two depressions D3.2.8 Two basalt polishers D3.2.9 Perforated stone D Stone pendant or weight D3.3 Concluding remarks E. Conclusions and prospects (F. Janoscha Kreppner & Karen Radner) F. Appendix: Looking for Muṣaṣir: the 2014 magnetometer survey at Mujeser (Jörg Fassbinder) F1. Methods F2. The magnetometer survey at Qalat Mujeser: an Iron Age fortress F3. The magnetometer survey near the modern road to Mujeser: the temple of Ḫaldi? F4. Conclusions Bibliography