Upper Mesopotamia (SE Turkey, N Syria and N Iraq)
material culture stratigraphic tables: 10th - 6th millennia cal BC

Data compiled by Damien BISCHOFF
Last updated: 29/03/2007

Preliminary note
These tables represent an effort to synchronise the Upper Mesopotamian material culture evidence with the available corpus of 14C dates from that area, as collected in the CANeW Upper Mesopotamia 14C chart (Update: 12 February 2006). Sites within square brackets lack 14C data or material culture evidence. Only sites clearly representative of a particular development have been included in the tables. Sites less clear in this respect (marked with an °) have been omitted.
NB. The images used in the tables do not necessarily correlate with specific representations on particular sites

Architectural development (21 sites)

Round plan
Abu Hureyra I, Mureybet I-III, Çayönü (A) Round Buildings r1, Hallan Çemi I-III, [Körtik Tepe], Qermez Dere pre VI-VI, Nemrik I-IV, Göbekli Tepe III, M'lefaat Lower, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar VI-IE, [Tell Abr']

Sub-rectangular plan
Qermez Dere pre VI-VI, Nemrik V, M'lefaat Upper, Jerf 0- -IIE/III-IW, Dja'de I, [Nevalı Çori IIIB], Çayönü (B) Round r3-4-Grill Buildings, [Jarmo]

Rectangular plan (grill, 2-3-party, centered...)
[Qaramel], Dja'de II-III, Nevalı Çori I-V, Göbekli Tepe II, Çayönü (B) Round r3-4-Grill-Channeled-Cobble Paved Buildings, Mureybet IVb, Cafer Höyük, Akarçay Tepe, [Abu Hureyra 2], Halula, [Maghzaliyah]

Cell plan
Cafer Höyük, Akarçay Tepe, Gritille, Çayönü (B) Cell Buildings, Abu Hureyra 2, [Gürcütepe], Halula, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Bouqras, Tell Sabi Abyad I, [Maghzaliyah]

Large-Room plan
Cafer Höyük, Çayönü (B) Large-Room Buildings, Akarçay Tepe, Mezraa-Teleilat

Lithic development (25 sites)

“Geometric” points (triangles, trapezes...)
Zawi Chemi Shanidar, Hallan Çemi, [Demirköy], Göbekli Tepe°, Nevalı Çori°, Cafer Höyük°, [Maghzaliyah]

El Khiam points
Mureybet I-III, Qermez Dere pre-6-6, Nemrik I-III, Göbekli Tepe III, M'lefaat, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar

Nemrik points
Çayönü (A), [Körtik Tepe], [Demirköy], Nemrik, Mureybet II-III°, Qermez Dere V-III, Göbekli Tepe III, Dja'de°, Nevalı Çori, Cafer Höyük, Bouqras°, Shimshara, Tell Kashkashok°, Telul eth-Thalathat II-III, [Maghzaliyah]

Helwan points
Mureybet II-III, Göbekli Tepe III°, Jerf el Ahmar

Mureybet points
Göbekli Tepe III°, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar°, Mureybet III-IVa, Dja'de, Nevalı Çori°, Çayönü (B), Abu Hureyra 2 °, Halula°

Aswad points
Göbekli Tepe III°, Dja'de, Nevalı Çori°, [Tell el-Kerkh]

Byblos points
Göbekli Tepe II, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar, Dja'de, Nevalı Çori, Çayönü (B), Akarçay Tepe, Mureybet IV, Gritille, [Tell Assouad], Abu Hureyra 2, Halula low, Hayaz Höyük, Bouqras, Shimshara°, Mezraa-Teleilat, Kumartepe, Tell Kashkashok

Çayönü tools
Nemrik, [Qaramel], Çayönü (B), Cafer Höyük, Gritille, [Gürcütepe II-IV], Abu Hureyra 2°, Bouqras, [Jarmo], Shimshara, Tell Kashkashok, [Maghzaliyah], Hassuna

Development of the stone industry (25 sites)

Pestles
Mureybet, Çayönü (A)°, Qermez Dere, Nemrik°, Göbekli Tepe, M'lefaat, Jerf el Ahmar, Nevalı Çori°, Çayönü (B), Cafer Höyük, [Jarmo], Tell Sabi Abyad I°

Pestles and polished/decorated stems
Çayönü (A), Hallan Çemi, [Körtik Tepe], [Demirköy], Nemrik, Göbekli Tepe, Cafer Höyük°

Hand-stones
Zawi Chemi upper, Çayönü (A)°, Hallan Çemi, Nemrik, M'lefaat, Nevalı Çori, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Bouqras, [Jarmo], Shimshara, El Kowm 2-Caracol, Telul eth-Thalathat°, [Maghzaliyah]

Mortars
Nemrik, Jerf el Ahmar, Nevalı Çori, Bouqras, [Jarmo], Tell Kashkashok, Telul eth-Thalathat, [Maghzaliyah], Tell Sabi Abyad I

Decorated engraved stone tablets
Zawi Chemi upper, Çayönü (A), Hallan Çemi, [Körtik Tepe], [Demirköy], Nemrik, Göbekli Tepe, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar, Dja'de, Çayönü (B), Mureybet III, Cafer Höyük, Abu Hureyra 2, [Jarmo]

Axes/Celts
Çayönü (A)°, Hallan Çemi°, Qermez Dere, Nemrik, Göbekli Tepe, M'lefaat°, [Qaramel], Dja'de III, Nevalı Çori, Çayönü (B), Cafer Höyük, [Gürcütepe], Tell Assouad, Abu Hureyra 2, Halula, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Bouqras, Shimshara, Kumartepe, [Levzin], [Jarmo], Tell Kashkashok, Telul eth-Thalathat, Tell Sabi Abyad I, [Maghzaliyah], Hassuna

Development of stone vessels and pottery (26 sites)

Thick-walled stone vessels
Mureybet, Hallan Çemi, [Qaramel], Nemrik, [Gürcütepe II-IV], Tell Assouad, Tell es-Sinn, Abu Hureyra 2, Bouqras, [Jarmo], Shimshara, Mezraa-Teleilat°, El Kowm 2 , Kumartepe, Tell Kashkashok°, [Telul eth-Thalathat], [Maghzaliyah], [El Kowm 1]

Thick-walled common stone vessels
Çayönü (A), Hallan Çemi, [Körtik Tepe], Nemrik, M'lefaat, Cafer Höyük, Mezraa-Teleilat°, [Jarmo], Shimshara, [Telul eth-Thalathat]

Thick-walled decorated stone vessels
Mureybet, Çayönü (A), Hallan Çemi, [Körtik Tepe], Göbekli Tepe III, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar, Dja'de, Nevalı Çori, [Gürcütepe II-IV], Tell Assouad°

Thin-walled stone vessels with S-shaped profile
Tell es-Sinn, Abu Hureyra 2°, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Bouqras, [Jarmo], Shimshara, El Kowm 2, Tell Kashkashok, Tell Damishliyya, [Maghzaliyah], [El Kowm 1], Hassuna°

White ware
Abu Hureyra 2°, Bouqras, El Kowm 2, Tell Kashkashok°, [Maghzaliyah], [El Kowm 1], Çayönü (B)

Impresso pottery
Dja'de, Akarçay Tepe, Çayönü (B), [Gürcütepe I], Tell Assouad°, Abu Hureyra 2°, Halula, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Kumartepe°, Tell Damishliyya, [Tell Sabi Abyad I]

Proto-Hassuna pottery
Tell es-Sinn, Bouqras, Mezraa-Teleilat, [Jarmo], Tell Kashkashok, [Telul eth-Thalathat], Hassuna

Halaf-post-Halaf pottery
Girikihacıyan°

Development of representations (25 sites)

Wild bestiary
Snake : Hallan Çemi, [Körtik Tepe], Göbekli Tepe III-II, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar, [Tell Abr'], Dja'de, Nevalı Çori, [Karahan Tepe] ; Aurochs : Mureybet I-III, Hallan Çemi, Nemrik, Göbekli Tepe III, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar, [Tell Abr'] ; Wild goat : Çayönü (B), Mezraa-Teleilat°, [Jarmo] ; Gazelle : Göbekli Tepe III, Abu Hureyra 2°, Bouqras°, El Kowm 2-Caracol°, [Maghzaliyah] ; Wild boar : Nemrik, Göbekli Tepe III, [Jarmo] ; Felines : Nemrik, Göbekli, Jerf el Ahmar, [Tell Abr'], Nevalı Çori ; Birds of prey : Mureybet, Nemrik, Göbekli Tepe III, [Qaramel], Jerf el Ahmar, Nevalı Çori, Çayönü (B), [Gürcütepe], Gritille°, Tell Assouad°, Tell Sabi Abyad II°

Anthropomorphic canon
Hallan Çemi, Qermez Dere, Nemrik, Göbekli Tepe III-II, Jerf el Ahmar°, [Tell Abr'], Nevalı Çori II-III, [Yeni Yol-Yeni Mahalle], [Kilişik], [Karahan Tepe], Çayönü (B) r3-4-Grill-Channeled-Cobble Paved-Cell Buildings, [Gürcütepe II]

Domestic bestiary
Sheeps and goats : Çayönü (B) Cell-Large Room Buildings, Akarçay Tepe, Gritille°, Halula, Tell Kashkashok ; Bovines : Çayönü (B) Cell-Large Room Buildings, Gritille, Tell Kashkashok, Telul eth-Thalathat, [Maghzaliyah], Tell Sabi Abyad I ; Various : Tell Assouad, Abu Hureyra 2, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Bouqras, Mezraa-Teleilat, [Jarmo], El Kowm 2-Caracol

Dual beings
Jerf el Ahmar°, Nevalı Çori°

Human beings
Mureybet III, Göbekli Tepe III-II, Dja'de, Çayönü (B), Cafer Höyük, Gritille, Tell Assouad°, Gürcütepe I°, Halula, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Bouqras, [Jarmo], Tell Kashkashok, Telul eth-Thalathat, [Maghzaliyah], Tell Sabi Abyad I

Final note : Upper Mesopotamia Chronology

attachment to the soil / pré-Dryas and Dryas (first half of the 11th millennium cal BC)
Shanidar Cave, Zawi Chemi Shanidar, Abu Hureyra I

attachment to the soil / post-Dryas (second half of the 11th – first half of the 10th millennium cal BC)
Mureybet I-III, Çayönü (A), Hallan Çemi, Körtik Tepe, Qermez Dere pré-6-6, Nemrik I-III, Tell Qaramel, Göbekli Tepe III

implantations / post-Dryas (second half of the 10th – first half of the 9th millennium cal BC)
Mureybet IIIb-IVa, Qermez Dere 5-3, Nemrik IV-V, Göbekli III-II, M'lefaat, Tell Qaramel, Jerf el Ahmar 0--IIE, III-IW et VII/E-III/E, Tell Abr', Dja'de I, Nevalı Çori I-II, Demirköy, Çayönü (B) Round r3-4-Grill Buildings

settlements / post-Dryas - climatic transition (second half of the 9th – first half of the 8th millennium cal BC)
Göbekli Tepe II, Dja'de II-III, Nevalı Çori III-V, Çayönü (B) Channeled - Cobble-Paved Builgings, Cafer Höyük, Akarçay Tepe V-IV, Gritille E, Halula, Mureybet IVb, Gürcütepe II-IV

agropastoral villages / beginning of climatic optimum (second half of the 8th – 7th millenium cal BC)
Gritille D-C, Akarçay Tepe IV-I, Çayönü (B) Cell Buildings, Tell Assouad, Tell es-Sinn, Abu Hureyra 2, Halula, Tell Sabi Abyad II, Hayaz, Bouqras, Shimshara, Mezraa-Teleilat IV-IIIB 2, El-Kowm 2 -Caracol, Kumartepe, Gürcütepe I

agropastoral villages / climatic optimum (7th millennium cal BC)
Gritille B, Çayönü (B) Large Room Buildings, Mezraa-Teleilat IIB 2 -IIB, Kumartepe, Tell Damishliyya, Tell Kashkashok, Telul eth-Thalatat, El Kowm 1, Tell Sabi Abyad I, Hassuna, Girikihacıyan

post-Neolithic villages / climatic optimum (6th – first half of the 5th millennium cal BC)
Girikihacıyan, Tell Kashkashok, Çayönü DFBW