Abstract
Vegetation on the semi-arid steppe of northern Syria responds quickly to fluctuations in patterns of precipitation and even small shifts may preclude subsistence agriculture. Archaeological survey in the western Khabur drainage has revealed periodic human settlement that responded to these fluctuations. During the late fifth-early fourth millennium B.C. the wadis held water perennially, indicating a more favorable water balance than today. Sites of this period were then buried beneath two meters of sands and gravels before the surface stabilized in the early third millennium. During this period, the numerous sites as large as 30 hectares indicate excellent conditions for agriculture. Shortly after 2500 B.C., all these sites were abandoned and the region was not again resettled until the first millennium. Subsequent occupations occured during the Roman/Byzantine and Islamic periods (after A. D. 622). The short periods of settlement were each separated by 1000 or more years of abandonment. After Medieval times, until recently, the region was occupied primarily by nomadic tribes of sheep herders. Changes in precipitation patterns probably account for some of these changes in the landscape and human settlement.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bernbeck, R. (1993) Steppe als Kulturlandschaft. Berliner Beiträge zum Vorderen Orient — Ausgrabungen, 1. Berlin, Dietrich Reimer Verlag.
Blackburn, M. and M. Fortin (1994) “Geomorphology of Tell ’Atij, northern Syria.” Geoarchaeology 9(1): 57–74
Blunier, T., J. et al. (1995) ‘Variations in atmospheric methane concentration during the Holocene epoch.’ Science Nature(374)
Buccellati, G. (1990). ‘Riverbank’, ‘high country’, and ‘pasture land’: the growth of nomadism on the middle Euphrates and the Khabur. Tall al-Hamidiya 2, S. Eichler and M. Wäfler (ed.), Freiburg, Universitäts verlag.
Butzer, K. W. (1976) Geomorphology From the Earth. New York, Harper and Row.
Cleuziou, S. (1994). “La chute de l’empire d’Akkade: Hommes et milieux au Moyen- Orient.” Les Nouvelles de l’archeologie 56: 45–48
Courty, M.-A. (1994) “Le cadre paleogeographique des occupations humaines dans le bassin du Haut-Khabour, Syrie du Nord-Est. Premiers resultats.” Paléorient 20(1): 21–59
Ergenzinger, P. (1991) Geomorphologische Untersuchungen im Unterlauf des Khabur. Die Rezente Umwelt von Tall Seh Hamad und Paten zur Umweltrekonstruktion der Assyrischen Stadt Dur-Katlimu, H. Kühne (ed.), 35–50. Berlin, Dietrich Reimer Verlag.
Ergenzinger, P. J., W. Frey, et al. (1988). The reconstruction of environment, irrigation and development of settlement on the Khabur in north-east Syria. Conceptual Issues in Environmental Archaeology, J. L. Bintliff, D. A. Davidson and E. G. Grant (ed.), 108–128. Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.
Feng, X. and S. Epstein (1994) “Climatic implications of a 8000-year hydrogen isotope time series from bristlecone pine trees.” Science 265: 1079–1081
Fortin, M. (1990) “Rapport preliminaire sur le 3e campagne de fouilles a Tell ’Atij et la 2e a Tell Gudeda, sur le Khabour.” Syria 67(Automne): 535–577
Fortin, M. (1993) Economie et societe dans la moyenne vallée du Khabour au IIIéme millenaire av. J. C. La Djezire et l’Euphrate Syriens de la ptotohistoire ’ la fin du second millenaire av. J. C.: tendances dans l’interpretation historique des donées nouvelles, Paris,
Fortin, M. & L. Cooper (1994) “Canadian excavations at Tell ’Atij,Syria 1992–1993.” Bulletin, The Canadian Society for Mesopotamian Studies 27(May): 33–50
Gasse, F. and E. Van Campo (1994) “Abrupt post-glacial climate events in West Africa and North Africa monsoon domains.” Earth and Planetary Science Letters 126: 435–456
Glassner, J J. (1994) “La chute de l’empire d’Akkade, les volcans d’Anatolie et la desertification de la vallee du Khabur.” Les Nouvelles de ‘lArcheologie 56: 49–51
Gremmen, W. H. E., S. Bottema (1991). Palynological investigations in the Syrian Gazira. Die Rezente Umwelt von Tall Seh Hamad und Paten zur Umweltrekonstruktion der Assyrischen Stadt Dur-Katlimu, H. Kühne (ed.), 105–116. Berlin, Dietrich Reimer Verlag.
Harrison, S. P., I. C. Prentice, et al. (1993). “Climatic controls on Holocene lake-level changes in Europe.” Climate Dynamics 8: 189–200
Hole, F. (1991a). “Middle Khabur settlement and agriculture in the Ninevite 5 Period.” Bulletin of the Canadian Society for Mesopotamian Studies 21: 1–15
Hole, F., G. A. Johnson, et al. (in press). “Preliminary report on the joint American- Danish archaeobiological sampling of sites in the Khabur Basin (1990).” Annales Archeologiques Arabes Syrienne
Hole, F., N. Kouchoukos (in press). “Stratigraphic soundings at Tell Mashnaqa on the Khabur River 1991.” Annales Archeologiques Arabes Syriennes
Lewis, N. (1987). Nomads and Settlers in Syria and Jordan, 1800–1980. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Liere, W. J. & J. Lauffray (1954–55). “Nouvelle prospection archeologique dans la Haute Jezireh Syrienne.” Annales Archeologiques Arabes Syriennes 4–5: 129–148
Magny, M. (1993). “Solar influences on Holocene climatic changes illustrated by correlations between past lake-level fluctuations and the atmospheric 14C record.” Quaternary Research 40: 1–9
Margueron, J.-C. (1991). “Mari, l’Euphrate, et le Khabur au milieu du Ille millenaire.” Bulletin of the Canadian Society for Mesopotamian Studies 21: 79–100
Margueron, J.-C. (1993). Mari et le Khabour:enjeux, possibilités et difficultés d’une approche archéologique. La Djezire et l’Euphrate Syriens de la ptotohistoire à la fin du second millenaire av. J. C.: tendances dans l’interpretation historique des donées nouvelles, Paris,
Meese, D. A., A. J. Gow, et al. (1994). “The accumulation record from the GISP2 core as an indicator of climate change throughout the Holocene.” Science 266: 1680–1682
Moortgat Correns, U. (1972). Die Bildwerke vom Djebelet el Beda in ihrer räumlichen und zeitlichen Umwelt. Berlin, Dietrich Reimer Verlag.
Schwartz, G. M. (1993). “Rural archaeology in early urban Mesopotamia.” National Geographic Research & Exploration 9(1): 120–131
Sirocko, F., M. Sarnthein, et al. (1993). “Century-scale events in monsoonal climate over the past 24,000 years.” Nature 364(322–324)
Waters, M. R. (1992). Principles of Geoarchaeology: A North American Perspective. Tucson, University of Arizona Press.
Weiss, H. (1993). Causality and chance: the origins and collapse of third millennium Mesopotamian civilization. La Djezire et l’Euphrate Syriens de la protohistoire a la fin du second millenaire av. J. C.: tendances dans Interpretation historique des donées nouvelles, O. Rouault and m. Wäfler (ed. ), Paris,
Weiss, H. and M.-A. Courty (1993). The genesis and collapse of the Akkadian Empire: The accidental refraction of historical law. Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, St. Louis,
Weiss, H., M. et al. (1993). “The genesis and collapse of third millennium north Mesopotamian civilization.” Science 261(995–1004)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1997 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Hole, F. (1997). Evidence for Mid-Holocene Environmental Change in the Western Khabur Drainage, Northeastern Syria. In: Dalfes, H.N., Kukla, G., Weiss, H. (eds) Third Millennium BC Climate Change and Old World Collapse. NATO ASI Series, vol 49. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60616-8_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60616-8_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64476-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-60616-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive