Investigating the function of Pre-Pottery Neolithic stone troughs from Göbekli Tepe – An integrated approach

2020/11/03 by Laura Dietrich, Eva Götting-Martin, Jasmine Hertzog +14 · 1 voice · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology #Paleopathology and ancient diseases

paper · doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102618

Abstract

An integrated approach using contextual, use-wear, scientific and experimental methods was used to analyze the role of stone troughs of up to 165 l capacity at the Early Neolithic site Göbekli Tepe in the context of other stone containers found there. Around 600 (mostly fragmentary) vessels from the site constitute the largest known assemblage from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of the Near East. Besides the large limestone troughs, it encompasses middle-sized, coarsely made limestone vessels, finely executed platters and ‘greenstone’ vessels. All lines of evidence taken together indicate the use of limestone troughs for the cooking of cereals.

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Discussions

• There’s more than the monumental buildings at Göbekli Tepe. The photo shows one of the later, 9th millennium BC, buildings. It features a bench running along the wall, a small pillar and a large limes [bsky, 63 points, 2 comments]

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