Theses by Monique Arntz
Beyond Meaning. An Artefact Approach to the Neolithic Figurines from Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria) and Ҫatalhöyük (Turkey), 2022
For the Neolithic in the Near East figurines are our primary, at times only, source of visual rep... more For the Neolithic in the Near East figurines are our primary, at times only, source of visual representations
of humans and animals at many sites. More than purely utilitarian objects, figurines are thought to provide
insight into the more intangible aspects of past life such as ritual, cosmology, identity and social processes. In
most approaches, there has often been a focus on figurines as static images. However, placing prime importance
on representation ignores the importance of interactions between people and materials.
In this thesis it is argued that through an artefact and life biography approach we can more productively
analyse figurines as a process; from production, use, to final deposition. Better insight into these aspects
will allow us to more fully comprehend how figurines operated in their respective social contexts. Any statement
on figurine practices needs to incorporate all types of figurines and furthermore a nuanced view on
differences in figurine practices needs to be substantiated by analysis of different sites. Therefore, this thesis
features the corpora of two Neolithic sites: Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria) and Çatalhöyük (Turkey) both inhabited
through the 8th to 6th millennia. The different social settings at these sites make them an interesting case
study to analyse differences in figurine practices.
The result is a comprehensive overview of the complete life biographies of all clay figurines found at both
sites, looking at material properties, production, use-wear traces and depositional contexts which are then
compared between figurine types and analysed through time. Synthesising these findings yielded a detailed
insight into figurine practices at the two case study sites, showing some common practices but also marked
differences potentially linked to more household practices at Çatalhöyük and community practices at Tell
Sabi Abyad. Furthermore, life biographies of figurines at the two sites are variable and changes through time
are observed at both sites. This thesis not only offers a detailed and nuanced picture of figurine practices at
these two sites, but it also exemplifies that generalised statements about figurine practices in the Near East
need to be reassessed through intra-site, artefact approach studies.
iii
Figurines have been the subject of many archaeological studies and publications since the early 2... more Figurines have been the subject of many archaeological studies and publications since the early 20th century. Studies in the past tended to be universalistic in nature and studied figurines mostly as art objects. In recent years there has been a move towards more contextualised research and a move away from universalistic explanations.
However, there are still some shortcomings in figurine literature. Site publications often lack synthesis into a larger temporal and geographical framework. Also figurines are sometimes still presented out of context and treated separately, as if they fall into a singular, special category, instead of being part of the artefact assemblage as a whole.
New interesting themes in figurine theory have emerged, but these have to be critically reviewed and assessed for their practical use. Turning to other fields like sociology and psychology can lead to interesting viewpoints, but can also result in generalising statements which, in the end, do not help with interpreting an individual dataset.
In this thesis some of the new themes in figurine theory have been chosen, namely: fragmentation, figurines and fire-related contexts, miniaturisation and schematisation and finally, materiality. The literature on these themes has been reviewed and subsequently the value and usability of these themes has been assessed by applying them on a case study – the (Early) Halaf figurines of Tell Sabi Abyad, Operation III.
The case-study showed that these themes can lead to new insights, but only when taking a more contextual and practical approach. Some new research questions were also formulated which can be dealt with in future research.
Talks by Monique Arntz
Papers by Monique Arntz
Breaking Images. Damage and Mutilation of Ancient Figurines, 2022
In the Neolithic Near East, intentionally damaging both anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines ... more In the Neolithic Near East, intentionally damaging both anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines is a practice recorded in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) and Pottery Neolithic (PN) periods. These phenomena have usually been explained as being part of a larger set of practices revolving around a perceived agency contained in the heads of anthropomorphic figurines, whilst ‘damaging’ and breaking zoomorphic figurines is often seen as some type of hunting magic. However, systematic overviews of these practices are rare as is a clear methodology to establish whether figurines are intentionally broken. Intentionality is not always easily ascertained in this region and period as most recovered figurines are made from unbaked clay and, furthermore, are often recovered from secondary refuse contexts.
This paper will briefly describe the background and research into figurine fragmentation in the Neolithic Near East before turning to the two case study sites: Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria and Çatalhöyük in Turkey. The case study aims to show that through a rigorous and systematic analysis of figurine corpora, recognition of intentional breakage and damage is possible, even with legacy data sets. Furthermore, this paper argues for the importance of incorporating temporal and social aspects in figurine analysis to understand the reasons behind these practices.
The Archaeology of the 'Margins'. Studies on Ancient West Asia in Honour of Peter M.M.G. Akkermans, 2024
Tell Sabi Abyad is one of the best-known Neolithic sites in Upper Mesopotamia. The site has a lon... more Tell Sabi Abyad is one of the best-known Neolithic sites in Upper Mesopotamia. The site has a long-term settlement sequence spanning nearly two millennia, from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic up to the Halaf period. Over this period, the inhabitants of the site were likely faced with changes in their surroundings because of climate change around 6300 BCE (the so-called 8.2 ka Event). Facing these climate changes, the community at Tell Sabi Abyad showed resiliency and archaeologically we can observe how they adapted their subsistence strategies, material assemblages, and settlement forms.
This paper focuses on an underrepresented category of material culture, namely the figurines. In light of the observed changes at the site possibly associated with the 8.2 ka Event, the changes in figurine practices will be discussed and how they might tie in with the adaptive strategies observed at Tell Sabi Abyad.
Style and Society in the Prehistory of West Asia. Essays in Honour of Olivier P. Nieuwenhuyse , 2023
This paper discusses a small group of figurines found in the Early Pottery Neolithic levels of Op... more This paper discusses a small group of figurines found in the Early Pottery Neolithic levels of Operation III at Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria. This group of 18 objects forms a unique group within the larger corpus of figurines discovered at the site. Their most salient feature is the presence of round appliqués, often with fingernail impressions, placed on the bases of these objects. A brief discussion of the figurines from the site will be followed by object biographies of the 18 figurines, focussing on their production, use and deposition. Finally, I will reflect on the nature of these figurines in relation to Olivier Nieuwenhuyse’s research on appliqués on pottery and whether we might interpret the appliqués on pottery and figurines as similar phenomena.
This volume is the result of the Cambridge Annual Student Archaeology Conference (CASA), held at ... more This volume is the result of the Cambridge Annual Student Archaeology Conference (CASA), held at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research from September 13–15, 2019. CASA developed out of the Annual Student Archaeology Conference, first held in 2013, which was formed by students at Cambridge, Oxford, Durham and York. In 2017, Cambridge became the home of the conference and the name was changed accordingly. The conference was developed to give students (from undergraduate to PhD candidates) in archaeology and related fields the chance to present their research to a broad audience. The theme for the 2019 conference was New Frontiers in Archaeology and this volume presents papers from a wide range of topics such as new geographical areas of research, using museum collections and legacy data, new ways to teach archaeology and new scientific or theoretic paradigms. From hunting and gathering in the Neolithic to the return of artefacts to Turkey, the papers contained within show a great variety in both geography and chronology. Discussions revolve around access to data, the role of excavation in today’s archaeology, the role of local communities in archaeological interpretation and how we can ask new questions of old data. This volume presents 18 papers arranged in the six sessions with the two posters in their thematic sessions.
In an attempt to answer many practical questions related to mudbrick production, this paper sets ... more In an attempt to answer many practical questions related to mudbrick production, this paper sets forth an experimental approach relevant to the technique used in Late Pre-and Early Dynastic Egypt. The paper surveys possible sources of information on the ancient technique and previous experimental approaches. Then, it presents the experiment methodology and the resulting observations and calculations, which were later used as a standard for simulations of time and workload needed to construct particular types of structures excavated in Tell el-Farkha. Our most important observations are the widely underestimated stage of seasoning, the problem of accessibility of space for brick drying, transportation of ready-to-use bricks to the construction site and calculations we made based on numbers obtained during the experimental brick production. Our simulations show that building monumental structures needed communal eff ort, while household structures could have been built by the people who intended to use them for their own needs.
In many regards, the chaîne opératoire has greatly contributed to the study of ceramics. Since it... more In many regards, the chaîne opératoire has greatly contributed to the study of ceramics. Since its incorporation within the analysis of archaeological artefacts, the chaîne opératoire analysis has developed into a method which provides an understanding of the artisan community within a settlement. Furthermore, it provides solid material evidence of past artisanship, both through the reconstruction of manufacturing processes and technological choices. This paper addresses how chaîne opératoire studies can contribute to the reconstruction of the social organisation of craft, by exploring networks of actions and communities of practice at two case studies from the Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras. The fi rst case study explores the role of the chaîne opératoire in identifying modes of craft transmission, while the second reveals several communities of practice operating contemporaneously within the same site and sharing a market for similar products.
New Frontiers in Archaeology: Proceedings of the Cambridge Annual Student Archaeology Conference 2019, 2020
Special Issue: Ancient Lives, New Stories 2018 Conference Proceedings
Even though figurines are a ubiquitous find on many Neolithic sites, some aspects of figurines ar... more Even though figurines are a ubiquitous find on many Neolithic sites, some aspects of figurines are still poorly understood. Figurines have been studied as symbolic messages to be decoded, as art, and as ritual/cult objects. The main drawback of these interpretative frameworks is that they fail to analyse figurines as artefacts. Instead, figurines are treated primarily, or even exclusively, as images or texts. In this paper it will be argued that in order to understand figurines we need to engage with their materiality in order to understand how figurines worked in their social setting. Within the framework of craft theory a sensory approach will be applied to the chaîne opératoire, and formulate perceptive categories, or those aspects of the material(s) that are recognisable and (possibly) relevant to craftspeople and elements that reflect choices made during the production process. This chaîne opératoire is embedded within a larger aim of creating object biographies for figurines w...
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 50: 1-17, 2020
Burial cairns dot the basaltic uplands of north-eastern Jordan, yet these graves have never been ... more Burial cairns dot the basaltic uplands of north-eastern Jordan, yet these graves have never been investigated systematically. This situation is now changing. Current excavations in the Jebel Qurma region, close to the borders of Jordan and Saudi Arabia, have focused on the numerous cairns as well as their complex histories of use. This project identified different types of burial, including ring cairns, round and apsidal tower tombs, and cist graves.Radiocarbon dates, OSL dates, and grave inventories date the cairns to the Bronze Age and, in particular, the Iron Age. Through extensive survey and excavation in the area, this paper brings to light entirely new insights into the mortuary practices of Jordan’s north-eastern badia.
The results of my 2016 research project at Çatalhöyük.
This project focussed on analysing markin... more The results of my 2016 research project at Çatalhöyük.
This project focussed on analysing markings on figurines to learn about their production, use and deposition.
In this exhibition, we will look at the following question: How do we trace the success of a city... more In this exhibition, we will look at the following question: How do we trace the success of a city in the archaeological record? In other words: What kind of archaeological record do we expect succesful cities to leave behind? Two cities, Ephesus and Athens, were used as a case-study. These successful Late Antique cities continued into Byzantine times and therefore make for interesting laboratories of change and adaptation.
Today, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050, this follows in the long trend that we will follow in this exhibit. Knowledge of the process that led to the formation of cities and an examination of them in their early periods can provide insight into the achievements and failures of our own cities. The recent book of the economist Edward Glaeser ‘Triumph of the City’ (2011) presents to the reader a very clear idea of what a city needs to be triumphant: change. He proposes a number of examples of how the cities that are capable of keeping their ‘face’ fresh and attractive live longer than the others do, which have been used in this research.
Focusing on aspects of religion, entertainment and daily life in Byzantine cities this online exhibition sheds light on an important period of change and development in these two ancient cities.
Edited Volumes by Monique Arntz
The Archaeological Review from Cambridge, 2020
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Theses by Monique Arntz
of humans and animals at many sites. More than purely utilitarian objects, figurines are thought to provide
insight into the more intangible aspects of past life such as ritual, cosmology, identity and social processes. In
most approaches, there has often been a focus on figurines as static images. However, placing prime importance
on representation ignores the importance of interactions between people and materials.
In this thesis it is argued that through an artefact and life biography approach we can more productively
analyse figurines as a process; from production, use, to final deposition. Better insight into these aspects
will allow us to more fully comprehend how figurines operated in their respective social contexts. Any statement
on figurine practices needs to incorporate all types of figurines and furthermore a nuanced view on
differences in figurine practices needs to be substantiated by analysis of different sites. Therefore, this thesis
features the corpora of two Neolithic sites: Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria) and Çatalhöyük (Turkey) both inhabited
through the 8th to 6th millennia. The different social settings at these sites make them an interesting case
study to analyse differences in figurine practices.
The result is a comprehensive overview of the complete life biographies of all clay figurines found at both
sites, looking at material properties, production, use-wear traces and depositional contexts which are then
compared between figurine types and analysed through time. Synthesising these findings yielded a detailed
insight into figurine practices at the two case study sites, showing some common practices but also marked
differences potentially linked to more household practices at Çatalhöyük and community practices at Tell
Sabi Abyad. Furthermore, life biographies of figurines at the two sites are variable and changes through time
are observed at both sites. This thesis not only offers a detailed and nuanced picture of figurine practices at
these two sites, but it also exemplifies that generalised statements about figurine practices in the Near East
need to be reassessed through intra-site, artefact approach studies.
iii
However, there are still some shortcomings in figurine literature. Site publications often lack synthesis into a larger temporal and geographical framework. Also figurines are sometimes still presented out of context and treated separately, as if they fall into a singular, special category, instead of being part of the artefact assemblage as a whole.
New interesting themes in figurine theory have emerged, but these have to be critically reviewed and assessed for their practical use. Turning to other fields like sociology and psychology can lead to interesting viewpoints, but can also result in generalising statements which, in the end, do not help with interpreting an individual dataset.
In this thesis some of the new themes in figurine theory have been chosen, namely: fragmentation, figurines and fire-related contexts, miniaturisation and schematisation and finally, materiality. The literature on these themes has been reviewed and subsequently the value and usability of these themes has been assessed by applying them on a case study – the (Early) Halaf figurines of Tell Sabi Abyad, Operation III.
The case-study showed that these themes can lead to new insights, but only when taking a more contextual and practical approach. Some new research questions were also formulated which can be dealt with in future research.
Talks by Monique Arntz
Papers by Monique Arntz
This paper will briefly describe the background and research into figurine fragmentation in the Neolithic Near East before turning to the two case study sites: Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria and Çatalhöyük in Turkey. The case study aims to show that through a rigorous and systematic analysis of figurine corpora, recognition of intentional breakage and damage is possible, even with legacy data sets. Furthermore, this paper argues for the importance of incorporating temporal and social aspects in figurine analysis to understand the reasons behind these practices.
This paper focuses on an underrepresented category of material culture, namely the figurines. In light of the observed changes at the site possibly associated with the 8.2 ka Event, the changes in figurine practices will be discussed and how they might tie in with the adaptive strategies observed at Tell Sabi Abyad.
This project focussed on analysing markings on figurines to learn about their production, use and deposition.
Today, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050, this follows in the long trend that we will follow in this exhibit. Knowledge of the process that led to the formation of cities and an examination of them in their early periods can provide insight into the achievements and failures of our own cities. The recent book of the economist Edward Glaeser ‘Triumph of the City’ (2011) presents to the reader a very clear idea of what a city needs to be triumphant: change. He proposes a number of examples of how the cities that are capable of keeping their ‘face’ fresh and attractive live longer than the others do, which have been used in this research.
Focusing on aspects of religion, entertainment and daily life in Byzantine cities this online exhibition sheds light on an important period of change and development in these two ancient cities.
Edited Volumes by Monique Arntz
Archaeological Review from Cambridge volume 35.1
https://arc.soc.srcf.net/issues/35-1
Open Access and freely downloadable PDF's available from https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/318330
of humans and animals at many sites. More than purely utilitarian objects, figurines are thought to provide
insight into the more intangible aspects of past life such as ritual, cosmology, identity and social processes. In
most approaches, there has often been a focus on figurines as static images. However, placing prime importance
on representation ignores the importance of interactions between people and materials.
In this thesis it is argued that through an artefact and life biography approach we can more productively
analyse figurines as a process; from production, use, to final deposition. Better insight into these aspects
will allow us to more fully comprehend how figurines operated in their respective social contexts. Any statement
on figurine practices needs to incorporate all types of figurines and furthermore a nuanced view on
differences in figurine practices needs to be substantiated by analysis of different sites. Therefore, this thesis
features the corpora of two Neolithic sites: Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria) and Çatalhöyük (Turkey) both inhabited
through the 8th to 6th millennia. The different social settings at these sites make them an interesting case
study to analyse differences in figurine practices.
The result is a comprehensive overview of the complete life biographies of all clay figurines found at both
sites, looking at material properties, production, use-wear traces and depositional contexts which are then
compared between figurine types and analysed through time. Synthesising these findings yielded a detailed
insight into figurine practices at the two case study sites, showing some common practices but also marked
differences potentially linked to more household practices at Çatalhöyük and community practices at Tell
Sabi Abyad. Furthermore, life biographies of figurines at the two sites are variable and changes through time
are observed at both sites. This thesis not only offers a detailed and nuanced picture of figurine practices at
these two sites, but it also exemplifies that generalised statements about figurine practices in the Near East
need to be reassessed through intra-site, artefact approach studies.
iii
However, there are still some shortcomings in figurine literature. Site publications often lack synthesis into a larger temporal and geographical framework. Also figurines are sometimes still presented out of context and treated separately, as if they fall into a singular, special category, instead of being part of the artefact assemblage as a whole.
New interesting themes in figurine theory have emerged, but these have to be critically reviewed and assessed for their practical use. Turning to other fields like sociology and psychology can lead to interesting viewpoints, but can also result in generalising statements which, in the end, do not help with interpreting an individual dataset.
In this thesis some of the new themes in figurine theory have been chosen, namely: fragmentation, figurines and fire-related contexts, miniaturisation and schematisation and finally, materiality. The literature on these themes has been reviewed and subsequently the value and usability of these themes has been assessed by applying them on a case study – the (Early) Halaf figurines of Tell Sabi Abyad, Operation III.
The case-study showed that these themes can lead to new insights, but only when taking a more contextual and practical approach. Some new research questions were also formulated which can be dealt with in future research.
This paper will briefly describe the background and research into figurine fragmentation in the Neolithic Near East before turning to the two case study sites: Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria and Çatalhöyük in Turkey. The case study aims to show that through a rigorous and systematic analysis of figurine corpora, recognition of intentional breakage and damage is possible, even with legacy data sets. Furthermore, this paper argues for the importance of incorporating temporal and social aspects in figurine analysis to understand the reasons behind these practices.
This paper focuses on an underrepresented category of material culture, namely the figurines. In light of the observed changes at the site possibly associated with the 8.2 ka Event, the changes in figurine practices will be discussed and how they might tie in with the adaptive strategies observed at Tell Sabi Abyad.
This project focussed on analysing markings on figurines to learn about their production, use and deposition.
Today, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050, this follows in the long trend that we will follow in this exhibit. Knowledge of the process that led to the formation of cities and an examination of them in their early periods can provide insight into the achievements and failures of our own cities. The recent book of the economist Edward Glaeser ‘Triumph of the City’ (2011) presents to the reader a very clear idea of what a city needs to be triumphant: change. He proposes a number of examples of how the cities that are capable of keeping their ‘face’ fresh and attractive live longer than the others do, which have been used in this research.
Focusing on aspects of religion, entertainment and daily life in Byzantine cities this online exhibition sheds light on an important period of change and development in these two ancient cities.
Archaeological Review from Cambridge volume 35.1
https://arc.soc.srcf.net/issues/35-1
Open Access and freely downloadable PDF's available from https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/318330