The pre-iconography, iconography and iconology of a sixth to fifth millennium BC Near Eastern incised bone

ABSTRACT

The motifs appearing on an incised bone artifact retrieved from the underwater site of Neve-Yam, dating to the sixth–fifth millennium BC and associated with the Pottery Neolithic/early Chalcolithic, Wadi Rabah culture, are subjected to systematic analysis using a methodology for research into symbolic subjects which tracks iconographic survival, focusing on the fusion and renewal of symbols. Mythical and historical evidence is assembled and assessed and art history sources are drawn upon, to provide a more comprehensive explanatory approach for the diverse lines of evidence. Iconographic links between motifs on the bone figurines with later Sumerian mythology require a re-evaluation of the chronological dispersion of symbolic graphemes; the application of new research on the relationship between art and writing suggests that narrative-making rather than evocation can be identified in this material. Such narratives reveal Neolithic precursors of ancient cosmological concepts and bring to light a tantalizing set of features which help to illuminate pre-literate, aniconic narratives of an early pantheon in the Neolithic period of the Near East.

KEYWORDS:

• Pottery Neolithic
• early Chalcolithic
• Wadi Rabah
• incised bone image

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend our special thanks to: Dr Ehud Galili, excavator of the site of Neve-Yam; Dr Nimrod Getzov excavator of the site of Hagosherim; and Dr Ianir Milveski, Dr Nimrod Getzov and Ms Alla Yaroshevitch excavators of the site of Ein Zippori for allowing us to examine the bone figurines and for valuable discussions concerning their symbolism and context within the Neolithic world; the IAA for permission to reproduce Figures 3 and 6; and to the three anonymous reviewers for constructive comments which have greatly improved this paper. The opinions expressed in this paper are however, solely those of the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Estelle Orrelle

Estelle Orrelle is an archaeologist with a special interest in studying symbolic artifacts of the Neolithic of the Near East from a multi-disciplinary perspective. She has worked on Neolithic sites in Israel and is currently a staff member of the Jezreel Expedition, serving as the prehistory specialist. She holds degrees in History and Archaeology and a PhD in Anthropology from the University of East London. Independent Scholar, University of East London, UK.

Liora Kolska Horwitz

Liora Kolska Horwitz is an archaeozoologist with a research interest in the Neolithic of the Levant, and has jointly and singly authored numerous articles on this topic and others in international journals. She co-directs the Wonderwerk Cave project (South Africa) and is associated with many archaeological excavation projects in Israel as well as being a member of the Negev Rock Art Center. Researcher, National Natural History Collections, The Hebrew University, Faculty of Life Science, Edmond Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.