Dance and display at the beginning of farming

347 Pages·2003·89.394 MB·English

by  Garfinkel, Yosef

dancing at the dawn of agriculture
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yosef garfinkel
D ancing at
the D awn of
Agriculture
University of Texas Press, Austin
The research was supported by grants from the Robert H. and
Clarice Smith Center of Art History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Copyright © 2003 by the University of Texas Press
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
First edition, 2003
Requests for permission to reproduce material from this work should be sent to
Permissions, University of Texas Press, P.O. Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819.
(cid:39) The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements of
ansi/niso z39.48-1992 (r1997) (Permanence of Paper).
library of congress cataloging-in-publication data
Garfinkel, Yosef.
Dancing at the dawn of agriculture / Yosef Garfinkel.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 0-292-72845-x (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Art, Prehistoric—Mediterranean Region. 2. Art, Prehistoric—Middle East.
3. Dance in art. 4. Dance, Prehistoric—Mediterranean Region. 5. Dance,
Prehistoric—Middle East. 6. Agriculture, Prehistoric—Mediterranean Region.
7. Agriculture, Prehistoric—Middle East. 8. Mediterranean Region—Antiquities.
9. Middle East—Antiquities. I. Title.
gn848 .g37 2003
709´.01´12091822—dc21
2002009359
To Tal
figure 0.1
Dance shadows,
Tel Miqne-Eqron
Excavations 1996
Photo by Irene Pletka.
Contents
List of Figures ix
List of Tables xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Part I The D ance Analysis 1
chapter 1 Introduction 3
chapter 2 Structural Analysis of the Dance 27
chapter 3 Functional Analysis of the Dance 65
chapter 4 Cognitive Analysis of the Dancing Scenes 85
chapter 5 Conclusions 99
Part II The D ata 103
chapter 6 General Remarks Concerning the Data 105
chapter 7 Neolithic Near East 111
chapter 8 Halafian and Samarra Cultures 125
chapter 9 Neolithic and Chalcolithic Iran 161
chapter 10 Neolithic Southeast Europe 205
chapter 11 Predynastic Egypt 233
chapter 12 Later Examples from the Near East 269
chapter 13 Appendix: The Figures with “Turned-Upwards Legs” 291
Bibliography 297
Index 319
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List of Figures
figure 0.1 Dance shadows, Tel Miqne-Eqron Excavations 1996. vi
figure 2.1 Basic variations of arm positions in the dancing scenes. 29
figure 2.2 Basic variations of leg positions in the dancing scenes. 30
figure 2.3 Basic combinations of arm and leg positions in the dancing scenes. 32
figure 2.4 Frequencies of the basic body positions in the dancing scenes. 33
figure 2.5 Hair arrangement in the dancing scenes. 35
figure 2.6 Head covering in the dancing scenes. 35
figure 2.7 Masks in the dancing scenes. 36
figure 2.8 Dress and shoes in the dancing scenes. 37
figure 2.9 Accompanying objects in the dancing scenes. 38
figure 2.10 Animals in the dancing scenes. 39
figure 2.11 Basic variations of figure compositions. 43
figure 2.12 Clockwise and counter-clockwise movement of dancing scenes. 45
figure 2.13 Direct gender characteristics of male figures. 48
figure 2.14 Direct gender characteristics of female figures. 48
figure 2.15 Indirect gender characteristics of male figures. 49
figure 2.16 Indirect gender characteristics of female figures. 50
figure 2.17 Presentations of both sexes in the same scene. 53
figure 2.18 Various features in the vicinity of dancers. 55
figure 2.19 Wall paintings with hunting scenes from Çatal Höyük. 61
figure 3.1 Correlation between social organization, social stratification, and the
appearance of dancing scenes in early village communities. 80
figure 4.1 The cognitive map as a filter between the community rituals and the
dancing scenes. 86
figure 7.1 Near Eastern Neolithic sites mentioned in the text. 112
figure 7.2 Engraved limestone bowl from Nevali Çori. 113
figure 7.3 Engraved objects from Nevali Çori and Tepe Giyan. 113
figure 7.4 Painted plaster floor from Tell Halula. 115
figure 7.5 Engraved stone slabs from Dhuweila and Çatal Höyük. 117