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

FAIMI, TIFFANY: WAR AND CONFLICT IN PREHISTORIC MESOPOTAMIA

amount for hunting, but warriors did. Furthermore, there was no change in the hunting either.25

3. The only real indication of warfare

The real indication of warfare came from Tell Hamoukar. Tell Hamoukar was located near to Gebel-Sinjar in Syria, which is considered one of the earliest cities of the world earliest cities and dated to the Uruk period around 3500 BC.

The Syrian-American Archaeological Expedition considered that Tell Hamoukar is the first indication of warfare in ancient Mesopotamia.

Figure 2: Sling bullets. “Courtesy of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago”

Figure 3: Collection of clay balls. “Courtesy of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago"

The team found a 10-foot high mud brick wall which was bombarded by thousands of sling bullets and then collapsed in a conflagration. 1,320 bullets were found, 1,200 were small oval-shaped bullets, ranging in size from about an inch and a half in diameter, the rest 120 are larger, sized between two and a half to four inches in diameter, consisting of clay.26

25 LeBLANC, Steve. A. 2010.44.

26 HARMS, William 2005.http://wwwnews.uchicago.edu/releases/05/051216. hamoukar.shtml Hozzáférés: 2016.10.02.

Besides that, there is a speculation that Tell Hamoukar was attacked by strangers from the south to take control over the northern gate of trade in Mesopotamia.27 (Fig.3-4)

Figure 4: Damaged ball bullets. “Courtesy of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago”

4. Imagery

In northern Iraq, a large number of seals have been found at the site of Tepe Gawra. There is only one seal from the Ubaid period which could be a captive scene, but it is not certain, dated to Terminal Ubaid -4200 BC.28

In this sealing there is a line of four people with hands tied to the back. The individuals could be carrying burdens, which appeared as workers' scene29 in the Late Uruk period.30 In comparison with later periods, in Ubaid period, there did not appear any captive and war scene or depiction of weapons on the seals. Therefore, we have no evidence for warfare in this period.31 On the other hand, for Boehmer, the people walking as captives, with arms tied with a rope on the backs recalls Middle Uruk captives’ scenes from Susa.32 These sealings were found in Susa, both are captive scenes, two groups of walking people can be seen, their arms are bound to the back with a long rope together. The captives are all naked. The sealings are dated to the Middle Uruk period or Susa 22/21.33

4.1 Theories of social transformation

Regarding to the above-mentioned Ubaid seal till now we do not know if the individuals on this seal were captives or not! If yes, why? Was there any change in social ranking/the appearance of chiefdoms and leadership?

Tepe Gawra shows changes in architectural plans and signifying differences in the mortuary practices not only in the form or type and size of

27 FERGUSON, R. Brian 2013.220.

28 See BOEHMER, Rainer Michael 1999.141. Abb. 122. a.

29 See BOEHMER, Rainer Michael 1999.141. Abb. 122. b, c.

30 HOLE, Frank 2006.236.

31 STEIN, Gil 1994.39.

32 BOEHMER, Rainer Michael 1999.123.

33 BOEHMER, Rainer Michael 1999.141.

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