Csányi Marietta et al. (szerk.): Tisicum - A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 25. (Szolnok, 2016)
Közel-Kelet régészete - Ftaimi Tifanny: War and Conflict in Prehistoric Mesopotamia
TISICUM XXV. - KÖZEL-KELET RÉGÉSZETE Figure 1:1- Sites where weapons were found in prehistoric Mesopotamia a lot of it smashed during this process.17 The most mace heads which were found, are too small to be utilized in conflicts because most of them sized under 5 cm in diameter with a narrow shaft hole smaller than 6 mm and other shaft holes are 10-15 mm. The metric characteristics did not allow the mace heads to function with heads with combative purposes.18 There are different theories about the group X mace heads, according to Mazurowski, these artifacts had a possibility to be used as doorsockets in Tell M’lefaat and Nemrik 9, these mace heads functioned in houses which had entrances through the roofs, other aspect suggests that group X artifacts were used as weights to influence the wooden pickaxe leverage during digging. Besides that, it could be used also as weights not for pickaxe, but to give more pressure during the drilling process on another tool. Or it may be utilized as a weapon, one or more leather strips were attached to it and was brandished above the head to scare the foe.19 Most mace heads of the Neolithic period might be utilized for ceremonial purposes; ritual uses and as symbols of authority. As I mentioned 17 MAZUROWSKI, Ryszard F. 1997.81. 18 FERGUSON, R. Brian 2013.217. 19 MAZUROWSKI, Ryszard F. 1997.86. before, the shaft holes of the stone mace heads are narrow and could not include thick handles, which is an indicator that these artifacts were not used as warfare implements.20 Also from the Proto-Hassuna period we have over 2400 baked clay sling missiles from the site of Umm Al-Dabbaghiyah level II and III for unknown purpose.21 In addition to the previous site, in other two sites sling missiles were found in Yarim Tepe I from the Hassuna period,22 and in Tell Hamoukar from the Uruk period.23 There might be more evidence of weapons from other sites as well, because some weapons were made of perishable materials like wood and fibre such as clubs, shields or fibrearmor.24 So many other weapons might be used for dual purpose for hunting or fighting like the arrows which were found at Beidha in the Levant. More than 100 arrows were discovered there without any remarkable changes on the shape, but the presence of this number indicates that the hunters did not need such 20 ROSENBERG, Danny 2012.214. 21 MELLAART, James 1975.137. 22 LeBLANC, Steve. A. 2010.44. 23 HARMS, William 2005. http://www.news.uchicago.edu/releases/05/051216. hamoukar.shtml Hozzáférés: 2016.10.02.; FERGUSON, R. Brian 2013.220. 24 LeBLANC, Steve. A. 2010.41-42. 332
