Reconsidering Identity in the Halaf World: A Study of Coarse Wares in Sixth Millennium North Mesopotamia

Abstract

For over a century North Mesopotamian Halaf painted wares with their intricate designs have dominated sixth millennium ceramic studies while coarse wares have regularly been disregarded. In fact, coarse wares, and especially cooking pots, are surprisingly diverse in form, temper, and overall size and show remarkable variability from region to region. This article aims to target this lacuna of study, approach coarse wares and, when possible, the actual cooking pots, and then address comparatively the daily lives of the sixth millennium inhabitants of northern Mesopotamia.

Halaf Dünyası’nda “Kimliği” Yeniden Düşünmek: Altıncı Binyıl Kuzey Mezopotamyası’nda Kaba Malların İncelenmesi

Abstract

MÖ altıncı binyıla tarihlenen Halaf Dönemi, Kuzey Mezopotamya’nın geniş coğrafyasında kültürel öğeler açısından benzerlik gösterdiğinden genelde homojen bir kültür grubu olarak ele alınmaktadır. Bu bağlamda en belirleyici öğesi geometrik motiflerle bezenmiş boyalı çanak çömlekler olan Halaf Dönemi, yuvarlak yapıları ve karakteristik mühürleriyle farklı coğrafyalarda da beraber bulunan bir materyal kültür paketi olarak bilim literatürüne girmiştir. Dönemin boyalı çanak çömlek motifleri benzerliğinin, “kimlik” anlamında bir tür kültürel grup üyeliği göstergesi olduğu öne sürülmektedir. Başka bir deyişle, genelde çanak-çömleklerin bezeme motiflerinin Halaf Dönemi yerleşimlerini birbirlerine bağlayan ve grup ayniyetini sağlayan ana ve belirleyici bir öğe olduğu varsayılmaktadır.

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