Phytolith evidence for the pastoral origins of multi-cropping in Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq)

Multi-cropping was vital for provisioning large population centers across ancient Eurasia. In Southwest Asia, multi-cropping, in which grain, fodder, or forage could be reliably cultivated during dry summer months, only became possible with the translocation of summer grains, like millet, from Africa and East Asia. Despite some textual sources suggesting millet cultivation as early as the third millennium BCE, the absence of robust archaeobotanical evidence for millet in semi-arid Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq) has led most archaeologists to conclude that millet was only grown in the region after the mid-first millennium BCE introduction of massive, state-sponsored irrigation systems. Here, we present the earliest micro-botanical evidence of the summer grain broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) in Mesopotamia, identified using phytoliths in dung-rich sediments from Khani Masi, a mid-second millennium BCE site located in northern Iraq. Taphonomic factors associated with the region’s agro-pastoral systems have likely made millet challenging to recognize using conventional macrobotanical analyses, and millet may therefore have been more widespread and cultivated much earlier in Mesopotamia than is currently recognized. The evidence for pastoral-related multi-cropping in Bronze Age Mesopotamia provides an antecedent to first millennium BCE agricultural intensification and ties Mesopotamia into our rapidly evolving understanding of early Eurasian food globalization.

Review of `Five Egyptian Goddesses: Their Possible Beginnings, Actions, and Relationships in the Third Millennium BCE

Susan Tower Hollis, Five Egyptian Goddesses: Their Possible Beginnings, Actions, and Relationships in the Third Millennium BCE. London: Bloomsbury, 2020. Bloomsbury Egyptolo- gy. ISBN 978-1-4742-3425-2. Pp. XV + 216, numerous black and white illustrations. £90.

The Middle Holocene ‘funerary avenues’ of north-west Arabia

The desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula and Levant are criss-crossed by innumerable pathways. Across large areas of north-west Arabia, many of these pathways are flanked by stone monuments, the vast majority of which are ancient tombs. Recent radiometric dating indicates that the most abundant of these monuments, elaborate and morphologically diverse ‘pendant’ structures, were constructed during the mid-to-late third millennium BCE. Thousands of kilometres of these composite path and monument features, ‘funerary avenues’, can be traced across the landscape, especially around and between major perennial water sources. By evidencing routes of human movement during this period, these features provide an emerging source for reconstructing important aspects of ancient mobility and social and economic connectivity. They also provide significant new evidence for human/environment interactions and subsistence strategies during the later Middle Holocene of north-west Arabia, and suggest the parallel existence of mobile pastoralist lifeways and more permanent, oasis-centred settlement. This paper draws upon the results of recent excavations and intensive remote sensing, aerial and ground surveys in Saudi Arabia to present the first detailed examination of these features and the vast cultural landscape that they constitute.

Genomes From Verteba Cave Suggest Diversity Within The Trypillians In Ukraine

The transition to agriculture occurred relatively late in Eastern Europe, leading researchers to debate whether it was a gradual, interactive process or a colonization event. In the forest and forest-steppe regions of Ukraine, farming appeared during the fifth millennium BCE, associated with the Cucuteni-Trypillian Archaeological Complex (CTCC, 4800-3000 BCE). Across Europe, the Neolithization process was highly variable across space and over time. Here, we investigate the population dynamics of early agriculturalists from the eastern forest-steppe region based on analyses of 20 ancient genomes from the Verteba Cave site (3789-980 BCE). The results reveal that the CTCC individuals’ ancestry is related to both western hunter gatherers and Near Eastern farmers, lacks local ancestry associated with Ukrainian Neolithic hunter gatherers and has steppe ancestry. An Early Bronze Age individual has an ancestry profile related to the Yamnaya expansions but with 20% ancestry related to the other Trypillian individuals, which suggests admixture between the Trypillians and the incoming populations carrying steppe-related ancestry. A Late Bronze Age individual dated to 980-948 BCE has a genetic profile indicating affinity to Beaker-related populations, detected close to 1,000 years after the end of the Bell Beaker phenomenon during the Third millennium BCE.

Environmental change and the timing of the settlement of the Bronze Age Andronovo culture, in far northwest Xinjiang, China

The relationships between societal and environmental changes have long attracted strong interest amongst scientists. Each of these systems has their own internal dynamics such as the adaptability and social systems built by people; and the feedbacks and controls on environmental systems. North west Xinjiang presents a challenging topographic and climate setting for people. Yet existing evidence shows Bronze Age populations settled into the Bortala Valley as early as the third millennium BCE. The harshness of the region provides a test case for exploring how environmental changes and societal changes may have intertwined. Near the town of Wenquan there is an extensive wetland which contains a sedimentary record covering the last 10,400 years. The early to mid-Holocene is marked by desert and a lake at Wenquan, but there is little evidence for human activity. By 4500 cal year BP the climate became more humid and soon peak humidity occurred when a regional steppe was developed and small numbers of trees were present on the mountains, also the lake shallowed to become a marsh and peatland. The uplands saw a slight increase in tree cover after this, probably as a result of moisture increase due to some cooling. Later changes in the archaeological record seem to be independent of the timing of any environmental changes, and human impacts on the wetland were small until historical times. In short, the major change from desert to steppe may have enabled people to settle the region, but later changes in the environment were too small to be revealed in the Wenquan sediment data, with the adaptability of societies overcoming any environmental challenges and with land-use practices being too small or localized to impact the palaeoenvironmental record.

Introduction

The law collection genre is rooted in Mesopotamia, beginning with the Sumerian Laws of Ur-Namma in the third millennium BCE. Over the next millennium, similar collections were produced in Mesopotamia, the most famous being the Laws of Hammurabi. The Assyrians and Hittites also put this genre to use in their own contexts. It has long been taken for granted that certain biblical units—specifically, Exodus 20–23, Deuteronomy 12–26, and Priestly law—likewise reflect “native” adaptations of the Near Eastern genre. Close examination of these texts, however, indicates that they are closer in form and function to the Mesopotamian genre of legal-pedagogical texts. Mesopotamian scribes produced a wide range of legal-oriented school-texts, including fictional cases, sample contracts, and legal phrasebooks. When Exodus 20–23 and Deuteronomy 12–26 are examined against the backdrop of these Mesopotamian legal-pedagogical texts, the pedagogical roots of what scholars call “biblical law” begin to emerge.

Dynamic changes in genomic and social structures in third millennium BCE central Europe

Europe’s prehistory oversaw dynamic and complex interactions of diverse societies, hitherto unexplored at detailed regional scales. Studying 271 human genomes dated ~4900 to 1600 BCE from the European heartland, Bohemia, we reveal unprecedented genetic changes and social processes. Major migrations preceded the arrival of “steppe” ancestry, and at ~2800 BCE, three genetically and culturally differentiated groups coexisted. Corded Ware appeared by 2900 BCE, were initially genetically diverse, did not derive all steppe ancestry from known Yamnaya, and assimilated females of diverse backgrounds. Both Corded Ware and Bell Beaker groups underwent dynamic changes, involving sharp reductions and complete replacements of Y-chromosomal diversity at ~2600 and ~2400 BCE, respectively, the latter accompanied by increased Neolithic-like ancestry. The Bronze Age saw new social organization emerge amid a ≥40% population turnover.

A review on beautiful copper tiles for your dream house project: A case study on MMC craft

Tiles are not only a long-lasting, but also a universal content. Some of the earliest tiles discovered in Chinadate back to 10,000 BCE, or the Neolithic Era. Greece has been found with fired roof tiles dating back tothe third millennium BCE (Brough, 2003). Archaeologists discovered thousands of terracotta tiles that hadfallen from roofs at this particular location (Wattenmaker, 2008). This study offers a thorough overviewof the industry, as well as a thorough understanding of Metal Tiles and its commercial landscape (Baraldi,2015).This purpose of this report is twofold. First, this report discusses different business strategies that leadingbusinesses are employing to gain a better understanding of the Metal Ceiling Tiles' future potential andprospects. It provide a five-year forecast based on the expected growth of Metal Ceiling Tiles and detailedanalysis of evolving competition dynamics. Second, this report review the production, sales, and globalmarketing strategies of MMC CRAFTbased on Poland. MMC CRAFTis a producerthat specializes in metalwall tiles and wall art that will transform your room. We create handcrafted, one-of-a-kind tiles that arein high demand in today's mass-produced world. MMC CRAFT produce a handcrafted and one-of-a-kindproduct that is in high demand. MMC CRAFT’metal wall decors are beautiful, and they have a softness tothem while still being a bold and polished accent. Metal finishes will make a big impact in a room and willstill look high-end and trendy. Columns, kitchen walls, archways, and stairwell risers will all benefit fromour copper tiles. As kitchen backslashes, range hood ornaments, and fireplace ornaments, these copper,stainless steel, and brass accents create dramatic designs. Copper will mature gracefully and gracefullyover time. This adds to the uniqueness and visual appeal of their product.MMC CRAFT create decorative metal and copper accessories for interior design, such as kitchen tiles,garden tiles, and patio tiles. Single item that leaves our factory is one-of-a-kind and handcrafted withcareful attention to detail. Metal finishes in one’s home will look stylish and make a strong visual impacton the space. Copper tiles will age slowly over time, adding to the uniqueness, elegance, and richness oftheir goods.

The Empires of Western Asia and the Assyrian World Empire

The history of empire begins in Western Asia. This chapter tracks developments in the second and first millennia BCE as imperial control in the region became increasingly common and progressively more pervasive. Oscillations between political fragmentation and imperial unification swung gradually toward the latter, from just a few documented examples in the third millennium BCE to the more-or-less permanent partition of Western Asia into successive imperial states from the seventh century BCE until the end of World War I. The chapter covers about a dozen empires and empire-like states, tracing developments of territoriality and notions of imperial universality using Assyria ca. 2004–605 BCE as a case study for how large and loose hegemonies became the normative political formation in the region.