The Chalcolithic period was formative in Near Eastern prehistory, being a time of fundamental social change in craft specialization, horticulture and temple life. Gilat - a low mound, semi-communal farming settlement in the Negev desert - is one of the few Chalcolithic sanctuary sites in the Southern Levant. Archaeology, Anthropology and Cult presents a critical analysis of the archaeological data from Gilat. The book brings together archaeological finds and anthropological theory to examine the role of religion in the evolution of society and the power of ritual in promoting change. This comprehensive volume, which includes artefact drawings, photographs, maps and data tables, will be of interest to students and scholars of ancient history, anthropology, archaeology, as well as biblical and religious studies.
Author(s): Thomas Evan Levy
Series: Approaches to Anthropological Archaeology
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 885
Dedication
Contents
Preface • Thomas E. Levy
I. THEORY
1. Archaeology, Anthropology and Cult: Exploring Religion in Formative Middle Range Societies • Thomas E. Levy
2. Cults, Shrines, and the Emergence of Regional Ritual Centers: The View from New Guinea • Donald Tuzin
3. Tribal Pilgrimages to Saints’ Tombs in South Sinai • Emanuel Marx
4. The Rise of a New Negev Cult Center Today: Baba SaIPs Sanctuary in Netivot, Israel • Yoram Bilu
II. ARCHAEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
5. The Sanctuary Sequence: Excavations at Gilat: 1975–77, 1989, 1990–92 • Thomas E. Levy, David Alon, Yorke M. Rowan, and Morag Kersel
III. BIOLOGICAL DATA FROM GILAT
6. Farming? Feasting? Herding? Large Mammals from the Chalcolithic of Gilat • Caroline Grigson
7. Marine and Riverine Shells at Gilat • Daniella E. Bar-Yosef Mayer
8. Death and the Sanctuary: The Human Remains from Gilat • Patricia Smith, Tania Zagerson, Pamela Sabari, Jonathan Golden, Thomas E. Levy, and Leslie Dawson
IV. THE EMERGENCE OF GILAT AS A REGIONAL CULT CENTER: PRODUCTION AND EXCHANGE
9. The Technology of the Gilat Pottery Assemblage: A Reassessment • Yuval Goren
10. Gilat’s Ceramics: Cognitive Dimensions of Pottery Production • Catherine Commenge with a contribution by T.E. Levy and E. Kansa
11. The Chipped Stone Assemblage at Gilat • Yorke M. Rowan
12. Gilat’s Ground Stone Assemblage: Stone Fenestrated Stands, Bowls, Palettes and Related Artifacts • Yorke M. Rowan, Thomas E. Levy, David Alon, and Yuval Goren
13. The Worked Bone from the Chalcolithic Site of Gilat: Interim Report • Caroline Grigson
V. PROCESSES OF INTEGRATION: THE EMERGENCE OF A PAN-REGIONAL RITUAL CENTER
14. The Intensification of Production at Gilat: Textile Production • Thomas E. Levy, Wendy Conner, Yorke Rowan, and David Alon
15. Gilat’s Figurines: Exploring the Social and Symbolic Dimensions of Representation • Catherine Commenge, Thomas E. Levy, David Alon, and Erie Kansa
16. Condusion: The Evolution of a Levantine Prehistoric Regional Cult Center • Thomas E. Levy
VI. APPENDICES
Appendix 1. Organie Residue Analysis of Selected Vessels from Gilat: Gilat Torpedo Jars • Margie Burton and Thomas E. Levy
Appendix 2. Radiocarbon Dating of Gilat • Thomas E. Levy and Margie Burton
Index
