a. Prehistoric research
Excavation Shir

Shir/West Syria -The settlement and its surroundings in the 7th millennium BC

Location

Fig. 1 Location of the site

The archaeological site of Shir is located 12 km northwest of Hama, the capital of the province by the same name, in western Syria (Fig. 1). Its position upon the plateau of a 30-m high, natural terrace above the Sarut River, a tributary of the Orontes River (Fig. 2), presented the sites' inhabitants with the use of several natural habitats of various characters (riverine meadows, open woodland) in the immediate surroundings. Characterised by sufficient precipitation, permanent water supply (rivers, wadis and springs), terra rossa soils and a generally Mediterranean climate, the natural environment of the region offered ideal conditions for crop cultivation.

History

	Fig. 2 The settlement of Shir, located upon a terrace along the Sarut River

In view of its size and potential, Shir is one of the most important sites of the 7th millennium BC in the area of western Syria. At the time of its discovery during the Orontes survey in spring 2005, the site was acutely threatened by bulldozers levelling the surface: At least one-third of the upper layers had already been graded. Thereby, a c. 2-m high and c. 200-m long, northwest-southeast profile was created by bulldozers, in which numerous plaster floors, stone walls and ash pits were revealed, attesting settlement over the entire terrace spur. The surface grading is connected with present-day intensification of agricultural activities, which can be observed throughout the Orontes region and which represent a serious threat to numerous archaeological monuments. Therefore, the German Archaeological Institute (henceforth, DAI) in Damascus immediately requested that the site of Shir be placed under protection and applied for permission to conduct rescue excavations there. The ensuing trial excavation in fall 2005 at Shir confirmed the archaeological potential of the site, and a joint German-Syrian project between the DAI in Damascus and the Direction Générale des Antiquités et des Musées de la Syrie (henceforth, DGAMS) subsequently began systematic excavations in spring 2006. In the spring of 2007 the Syrian antiquities officials designated the site of Shir as a protected archaeological zone, and it was entered in the national registry of important archaeological sites.  

Objectives

According to 14C dating the settlement of Shir dates solely to the Late Neolithic period. It was settled during the time 7000-6400/6300 calBC; no later phases of use could be discerned. These conditions make it possible to carry out comprehensive excavations at a specifically central site in the so-called 'Levantine corridor', the zone comprising the Jordan Valley, the Beqa'a plain and the Orontes Valley. This corridor connects the area of the southern Levant with the Taurus/Euphrates, a zone that has been ascribed an important role in the process of Neolithisation in the Near East, yet which until now has not been sufficiently studied. Although the phases in the formation of this time horizon, Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) and Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) (10th-8th millennium BC), are still only seldom attested in this zone, the discovery of a site like Shir signals the presence of complex earlier settlements. The main lines of inquiry of investigations in Shir are directed towards different aspects of settlement structure, such as arrangement, form and size of the buildings, on the one hand, and, on the other, the kinds of settlement systems and functional zones as well as the relationship of settlement and surroundings, which is especially significant for understanding the use of habitat and subsistence strategies. In addition, special attention is presently directed towards the question of settlement hierarchy in the Orontes region. Investigations on the relationship between the natural setting and settlement structure, which already began during the Orontes survey, will be expanded and intensified in association with investigations on the Shir settlement. Focusing upon the Neolithic period, the now ever apparent settlement model of "solitary sites" without a comprehensive network of relations should be re-examined. Due to the hitherto lack of chronologically relevant artefact typologies, this aspect could not be studied well until now. Work in Shir is expected to provide an archaeological basis in the form of stratigraphically and chonologically secure complexes of material, which in turn will enable a better assignment of material found on the surface and, furthermore, the identification of settlement layout and sequence in central areas of the site. Special studies will be devoted to different technological and cognitive complexes of problems. Geomorphological and botanical examinations in the immediate as well as distant surroundings should serve in defining the original structure of the habitat and the use of natural resources.  

Methods

Documentation of find contexts proceeds in the combination of conventional as well as digital methods of recording. Thereby, all data pertaining to the strata and profiles are stored centrally and digitally evaluated. This information together with databanks on the finds and contexts forms the basis for evaluation with a GIS program.  

Results

	Fig. 3 Results of the geophysical investigations
	Fig. 4 Building layer 2, the round silo
	Fig. 5 Building layer 6, room with a floor of gypsum/lime plaster and an embedded silo
	Fig. 6 Amuq point
	Fig. 7 Small pot of the dark-faced burnished ware
	Fig. 8 Bone flute

Geophysical investigations
Geophysical investigations conducted in 2006 and 2007 indicate that the entire area immediately west and east of the bulldozer-profile was the central area of settlement. Furthermore, there seems to be a special concentration of buildings in the north (Fig. 3). Results show an almost semi-circular settlement around an open space in the east. Outstanding structures include a complex of buildings, located in the northeast (area N/O 20), apparently somewhat apart from the central area of settlement, and a multi-roomed building in the eastern part of the main settlement area (area K12). The former complex comprises two long rectangular buildings, each with several rooms, oriented southeast-northwest with a rectangular building apparently added in the southeast. The latter multi-room building represents a square complex with four similar rooms. Trial excavations were conducted in both of these complexes in 2007 to verify these data. In N/O20 the southeastern corner of one house with several rooms and a storage jar placed outside of the house were found directly under the surface. In K12 a human skull as part of a burial was discovered in a corner of the house. According to pottery finds, both building complexes are possibly somewhat later in date than the latest building level in L/M7-8. They will be excavated in their entirety in future excavations.

Trial trench in 2005
In the fall of 2005 an excavation trench measuring 4 x 5 m (Trench A) was opened in the southern area of the bulldozer-profile and excavated to a depth of 1.50 m from the point of the levelled surface. Directly under the recent surface two southwest-northeast oriented rooms with foundation walls of unhewn stones came to light. The floors found in these rooms were made of white plaster or lime mortar, some parts displaying a polished surface; they are typical of the architectural inventory of late Early Neolithic and Late Neolithic periods. Below this building level was a block of layers, 1.50 m thick, of clay and ash or ash pits. The upper edge of an earlier building level could be identified in one sounding. The finds made there included a great number of lithic tools, pottery of the dark-faced burnished ware type that is tempered with minerals, coarse ware with organic temper as well as bone and stone objects.

Excavations in 2006-2007
Investigations conducted in 2006 and 2007 were concentrated on the southern part of settlement in areas K/L/M 7-8. There the entire stratigraphy could be followed down to the native rock, and at least 6 building levels have been distinguished thus far. The sequence in levels is complemented by several subphases as well as dividing layers of earth and ash.
Area K-L7, in which trial trench A was dug in 2005, continued on a small surface down to the native rock. There a c. 6-m thick sequence of layers only of the Late Neolithic settlement was exposed. The lowest layers comprised the following units: a. native rock; b. sterile clay; c. burnt layer. The latter consist of burnt clay, ash pits as well as ashy earth; there it seems likely that first the natural vegetation was cleared away by intentional burning. In addition to a fragment of floor made of lime plaster, an installation as well as a semi-circular hearth were found in building level 1. Building level 2 consists of an almost round structure, 1.40 x 1.60 m in size, whose floor and interior wall were covered with a light grey lime mortar. The small size of the round structure suggests its function as a silo (Fig. 4). Building level 3 displays a fragmentary rectangular room bordered by a plaster/lime mortar floor and also part of another room bordering to the north. Both walls are oriented southwest-northeast. Above building level 3 followed a 1.50-m thick stratum consisting of earth-, clay- and ashy layers yet without any architectural remains. This area can likely be interpreted as an open space outside of the buildings, where various activities took place. Above this stratum, then, begins building level 4 with new settling in this area. This was exposed over a larger area and is composed of several rooms belonging to a larger complex of buildings. Several burials of infants were found next to the walls, among them the complete skeleton. Building level 5 comprises a building with several rooms in areas L-M7. All of the rooms display floors made of plaster/lime mortar, which were often renewed, as well as many installations like hearths, ash pits, silos and platforms. Burials of infants were found near several walls and under floors in this layer as well. In area L8 that borders to the north, this layer is severely disturbed by pits, yet it revealed a silo measuring c. 1.10 m in diameter and also fragments of several hearths. With the exception of part of area L8 which was destroyed by pits, building level 6 is characterised by complex building. In L7 a multi-roomed building with several phases of rebuilding was exposed, whose most striking feature is the later addition of small chambers. A massive plaster/lime mortar floor with several phases of renewal and in which a silo made of unhewn stones was embedded (Fig. 5), presents an outstanding feature here. This layer in area M8 neighbouring to the north contains two rooms as well as floor fragments of another building. Also found in building level 6 were a total of five burials, among these one in contracted position but without the skull.
A complex of several burials found in L7/I probably belong to a later time of use. One burial represents a later interment containing several individuals, whose skulls and extremities are preserved, as well as an earlier burial without the skull. An unusually large flint dagger that protruded from the pit marked the original place of the deceased's head.

The age of the individual levels was determined by means of carbonised grains found in various distinct contexts. Accordingly, the burnt level above the native rock dates to c. 7000 calBC, the upper area of the earth-ash intermediate stratum belongs in the time between 6500 and 6650 calBC, level 4 dates to around 6500 calBC, and level 6, between 6500-6400 calBC.

Finds
All of the finds could be recovered from all areas by carefully sieving the excavated earth. Aside from the main groups of lithics and pottery finds, a large number of bone tools, stone objects and groundstone tools were retrieved. General comparisons for this material can be found in Tell el-Judaidah in the Amuq area, Tell Ain el-Kerkh, Tell Ain el-Kerkh 2 and Tell Araj 2 in the Rouj basin, Ras Shamra VA-B, Tell Ramad II and Byblos Néolithique Ancien.

Lithics form the largest group of finds in all of the areas and levels. Thus far, a total of c. 1,000,000 pieces have been viewed and sorted. Some 5% of the material represents tools, in particular retouched flakes; c. 0.2% of the entire amount represents diagnostic pieces. The raw material, predominantly silex nodules, probably derives from the immediate vicinity and closer surroundings. Besides depots of blades the numerous cores, including those of the naviform type, are indicative of tool production on the site. Sickles as well as scrapers are especially abundant. Burins and borers appear less frequently. Amuq points (Fig. 6) predominate among the projectile points, whereas only few examples of Byblos and Ugarit points are attested. Finds made of obsidian are rare, but they are proportionately more frequent in the lowest layers than in the upper ones. The category of heavy tools is represented foremost by sling spheres and axes made of silex, while shaft smoothers appear only occasionally. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the lithics from the deep trench K-L7 are expected to reveal the typological and technological development during the time of settlement.

Pottery already appeared in deep trench K-L7 in the lowermost burnt layer that covered the sterile clay. According to the 14C date of 7056 calBC from this layer, the pottery in Shir thus belongs to the earliest ceramics in the Near East. As was already evident in the trial trench of 2005, the ceramic material can be divided essentially into two large groups with many variations: roughly made coarse ware with organic temper (CW) and several groups of dark-face burnished ware (DFBW) with mineral temper (Fig. 7). A change in the distribution of pottery is displayed within the stratigraphic sequence. While DFBW predominates in the lower levels, the material from the upper levels is almost exclusively CW. Decorations consists foremost of cord impressions, besides combed patterns and plastic designs. Occasionally CW types have a plaster/lime slip. Simple, open bowls are dominant among the ceramic forms as well as the hole-mouth vessel and vessels with a funnel-shaped rim.
It is anticipated that the archaeometric analyses conducted until now and those in the future will further specify the composition of wares. The results thus far already verify the abundance of pottery variations under the collective terms of DFBW and CW. The creation of a regional pottery typology for western Syria is a further aim of the ceramic analyses. In addition, white ware is represented in very small amounts in all areas and levels. Archaeometric analyses should clarify the composition of this group as well.

Objects made of animal bones forms the third largest group of finds. This group is characterised by the appearance of, on the one hand, specific and common forms of tools such as spatulae, awls and needles, and, on the other, singular types of tools. The latter includes, among others, an artefact with two eyelets, an incised object and a small pipe or flute (Fig. 8). The identification of the animal bone material has not been undertaken yet.

Various kinds of tools predominate among the stone objects, which were apparently used for smoothing other materials, for example small polishing stones of river gravel and discs of limestone. A further very frequent type of finds are small stones worked to an oval shape, which could have been used either for hunting or for cooking. Grinding stones, mortars and pestles of basalt are numerous and attest the primary importance of nutritional plants. Among the less common finds are so-called maceheads with a central perforation. Stone bowls and palettes in various sizes and forms represent a group of finds with many variations. Other special objects are stone feet, and two stones with parallel rows of small round indentions, possibly used as a playing board. In addition, there are ornamental objects such as fine, perforated beads, ear- or lip plugs and amulets. Seal stamps with geometric decoration were found in the upper levels.

Among the clay objects, the figurine of a female, the hands holding the breasts, is thus far a singular find. This type of figurine is known in various coeval sites, for example, in Jarmo and Catal Höyük.

Palaeobotanical and palaeozoological finds
The palaeobotanical material from excavations conducted so far were first classified to a lesser extent. A preliminary view of the material revealed, nevertheless, the presence of hulled barley (Hordeum vulgare), emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum) and smaller amounts of einkorn (Triticum monococcum). Legumes included above all lentils (Lens culinaris) with a greater constancy and occasionally grass peas (Lathyrus sativus). One frequently found plant is the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), a crop that until now was first evidenced in the Early Bronze Age. The fruit of monk's pepper tree (chaste tree or hemp tree) (Vitex agnus-castus cf. var. pseudo-negundo), used for flavouring or healing, is constantly attested; it has not been evidenced in other contemporary sites as yet. Further, figs (Ficus sp.) and pistachios (Pistacia atlantica) were found occasionally. Charcoal analysis suggests a wooded landscape in the catchment area of the settlement. The major part of the firewood and building wood excavated until now derives from a deciduous oak (Quercus cf. brantii).

Initial short view of the palaeozoological remains indicates that sheep and goats prevailed. However, only a very small amount of the collection has been examined as of yet.  

Cooperation

Direction Générale des Antiquités et des Musées de la Syrie (DGAMS)

Scientific Collaboration

Prof. Dr. P. Grootes, Leibniz-Laboratory, University Kiel (14C-Dating); Dr. A. Haidar, DGAMS (Palaeozoology); Dr. R. Neef, Dept. of Natural Sciences, German Archaeological Institute (Palaeobotany); Dr. O. Nieuwenhuyse, University Leiden (Pottery); Prof. Dr. E. Pernicka, University Tübingen (Obsidian analyses); D. Rokitta M.A., Orient-Dept., German Archaeological Institute Damascus (Lithics); Dr. G. Schneider, Free University Berlin; Dr. M. Daszkiewicsz, Warsaw (Archaeometry/ Ceramic analyses); Dr. S. Seren, Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Vienna (Geophysics); Dr. Th. Urban, Berlin (GIS); I. Wagner, Orient-Dept., German Archaeological Institute (Photography); S. Wittmann M.A., Humboldt University Berlin (white ware)  

Contact

PD Dr. phil. Karin Bartl

Vorderasiatische Altertumskunde
Telefon: +963/11/374 9812-0 +963/11/3749813-0
Telefax: +963/11/374 9812-9 +963/11/3749813-9
Email: sekretariat@damaskus.dainst.org

Further Contact Partners

Wa'el al-Hafian
Direction Générale des Antiquités et des Musées de la Syrie
Hama Branch

Bibliography

K. Bartl, Sīr, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Jahresbericht 2005, Archäologischer Anzeiger , 279-282.
K. Bartl, Sīr, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Jahresbericht 2006, Archäologischer Anzeiger, 181-183.
K. Bartl, Neolithic Foot-shaped Objects found in Shir/Western Syria, Neo-Lithics 2, 2007, 57-59.
K. Bartl, A. Haidar, O. Nieuwenhuyse O., Shir: A Neolithic Site in the Middle Orontes Region, Neo-Lithics 1, 2006, 25-27.
K. Bartl, A. Haidar, mit Beiträgen von O. Nieuwenhuyse und D. Rokitta, Shir - Ein neolithischer Fundplatz am mittleren Orontes. Vorläufiger Bericht über die Ergebnisse der Testkampagne Herbst 2005 und Grabungskampagne Frühjahr 2006 (erscheint in: Zeitschrift für Orient-Archäologie 1).
K. Bartl, M. Hijazi, A. Haidar, The Late Neolithic Site of Shir: Preliminary Report of the German-Syrian Cooperation Project 2006, Neo-Lithics 2, 2006, 15-18.
K. Bartl, M. Hijazi, The Orontes Prehistoric Project. Excavations at Shir (erscheint in: K. Bartl, M. al- Maqdissi (ed.), New Archaeological Prospections in Western Syria.
K. Bartl, M. Maqdissi, M. Hijazi, The Survey of the Syrian-German Mission in the Middle Orontes Region. Archaeological prospections in the Hama region and excavations at the Neolithic site of Shir (erscheint in: M. Maqdissi, B. Jamous (eds.), Apamée, Hama et l´Orontes, nouvelles recherches archéologiques. Colloque archéologique International Hama 19.-20. 4. 2007).
K. Bartl., O. Nieuwenhuyse, Reliefverzierte Keramik des Neolithikums aus Shir/Westsyrien (erscheint in: Festschrift für Hartmut Kühne).