L’industrie osseuse de Jerf el-Ahmar durant le PPNA et la transition PPNA/PPNB : une déroutante simplicité

Abstract

The bone industry of Jerf el-Ahmar (Middle Euphrates) in PPNA and then in the transition from PPNA to PPNB is abundant and well preserved. It reveals the diversity of activities carried on this site: most of the objects produced seem to have been used for domestic activities and transformation. It also reveals a particular attitude in Jerf el-Ahmar, the industry being distinguished from any other production of the site by its simplicity and relative inertia in time. As a matter of fact, the rest of the remains suggests continued strong investment, collective in many fields, and great creativity. One may wonder if the people of Jerf el-Ahmar did not deliberately divest of production in bone materials to focus on other areas that might be priorities at this moment, such as the architecture and the organization of the village or the incipient agriculture. We also see that the effort and creativity relate principally to collective activities or facilities (harvesting and storage, or buildings). Would the bone industry be left aside because it is more linked to private or domestic activities? Beyond these issues, the bone industry of Jerf el-Ahmar, according to the similarities it has with other sites, helps to define cultural areas in the Neolithic and enrich thediscussions on interregional contacts during this dynamic period.