Technological studies of ceramics from Yarymtepe I (proto-hassuna and archaic hassuna periods)

The analysis of the artifacts uncovered at the settlement of Yarymtepe Ihelped reconstruct cultural traditions in pottery making during the early pottery Neolithicof North Mesopotamia; this knowledge deepens our understanding of early agriculturalsociety development in this region. The main task of the study was to find data on potterytraditions and subject them to systemic analysis in order to understand various stages andoperations of pottery production. The ceramic items were analyzed by the methodologydeveloped by A. A. Bobrinsky with the use of binocular microscopy and experimentalmodeling of specific elements of the pottery making technology. The study resultedin determination of specific features of the raw material used, the clay body (Fig. 1),the elements of pot construction (Figs 2; 3), treatment and ornamentation of the surface,and roasting of the items. Hence, the following conclusions were made: from the early stage of the settlement occupation its population was composed of two cultural groups.Noticeable changes in most pottery traditions were recorded starting from layers 10-9 atYarymtepe, which is taken to mean that such changes are linked to the arrival of a newpopulation group.