Akkerman Review 2

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The Archaeology of Syria: From Complex Hunter-Gatherers to Early Urban Societies (c.16,000-300 BC) by Peter M. M. G. Akkermans; Glenn M. SchwartzReview by: Bradley J. ParkerBulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, No. 341 (Feb., 2006), pp. 67-68Published by: The American Schools of Oriental ResearchStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25066936 .

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2006 BOOK REVIEWS 67

Levy, T. E.; Adams, R. B.; Najjar, M.; Hauptmann, A.;Anderson, J. D.; Brandi, B.; Robinson, M. A.;and Higham, T.2004 Reassessing theChronology of Biblical Edom:

New Excavations and 14C Dates from Khirbaten-Nahas (Jordan). Antiquity 302: 865-79.van der Steen, E., and Bienkowski, P.2006 Radiocarbon Dates from Khirbat en-Nahas: A

Methodological Critique. Antiquity 307 (onlineProject Gallery, December): http://antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/ (in press).

The Archaeology of Syria: From Complex HunterGatherers to Early Urban Societies (c. 16,000300 bc), by Peter M. M. G. Akkermans and GlennM. Schwartz. Cambridge: Cambridge UniversityPress, 2004. xviii + 467 pp., 215 figures. Cloth.$110.00.

The Archaeology of Syria: From Complex HunterGatherers to Early Urban Societies (ca. 16,000-300 bc)by Peter M. M. G. Akkermans and Glenn M. Schwartz isboth an exhaustive introduction to the archaeology of Syriafor archaeologists, students, and laypersons and an excellent outline and reference tool for ancient Near East and

Middle East specialists. The strength of this work is thatit contains thorough discussions of the material remains ofthe region, with a comprehensive bibliography (thoroughto approximately 1999 with some 2000 references), and

places those remains within the framework of currentscholarly debate in the field.The book is composed of a brief introduction andconclusion and ten substantive chapters arranged in chronological order. It is divided between the authors with Akkermans contributing the first four substantive chapters(chapters 2-5) on hunter-gatherer and early complex societies, and Schwartz contributing the last six substantivechapters (chapters 6-11) on archaic states and empires.

The introduction and conclusion were jointly written.Chapters 2 through 11,which range in length from 20 to 55pages, are generally divided into three (unmarked) conceptual sections. Each chapter begins with a discussion of thetheories or scholarly issues shaping research in the given

period. These discussions are very helpful not only in situating the relevance of the following sections, but also inorienting the reader with an up-to-date review of what areoften complicated theoretical debates spread over a widebody of literature. This first section is followed by an exhaustive overview of archaeological sites and regions (usually divided geographically). These thorough yet succinctsections highlight archaeological remains that characterizea given region during a particular period and, in doing so,provide the reader with a comprehensive summary of thearchaeological record as well as a good starting point for further research. Finally, each chapter contains a discussionof the material culture and lifeways of the period, describ

ing general trends in ceramics, food production, and otherrelevant material culture categories.

Although each chapter outlines the various foci of research in a given period, often presenting in detail opposing arguments offered by different scholars, the authors(admirably) stop short of taking a firm stand on most ofthese issues. Instead, the authors discuss the various argu

ments and go on to describe relevant data. This approachinforms readers of the various issues facing the field with

out attempting to persuade them to follow a particularpoint of view. The result of this methodology is a textbookstyle work rather than a problem-oriented monograph.

Thus, although The Archaeology of Syria does not advance the field by contributing new data, theories, or syntheses, it does play an important role as an accessible,comprehensive overview, one that was conspicuously absent until now.

Akkermans and Schwartz are undeniably excellentchoices to author such an overview. Each has extensivefield experience in Syria and an impeccable scholarlyrecord. At the same time, the research interests of thesetwo scholars are divergent and complementary: Akker

mans concentrates on prehistory while Schwartz's interestslie in archaic states. Their firsthand knowledge of the sitesand materials outlined in this book clearly adds much to

what might otherwise be dry reading.Unlike many textbook-style overviews, strong author

ship by two complementary scholars has resulted in a remarkably even treatment across the history of the region.Nevertheless, obvious highlights are Akkermans' discussion of theNeolithic and Ubaid periods in chapters 3 and5 and Schwartz's treatment of the Uruk and "regeneration" in chapters 6 and 9. A broad theme that stretchesacross Akkermans' chapters is an emphasis on ideological, social, and economic continuities through prehistory.Instead of seeing the transitions between, for example,the Neolithic, Halaf, and Ubaid periods as major developments or disruptions of previous lifeways, Akkermansurges the reader to consider continuity as well as changein conceptualizing the impetus behind these transitions.

At the same time, Akkermans rightly emphasizes regionaldiversity and local development within the larger culturalcomplexes such as the Halaf and the Ubaid. Akkermanspoints out that similar types of material culture do not necessarily mean that social developments were also uniform. He states, "Individual consistent 'cultures' probablydid not exist in the fifth millennium; instead we shouldthink in terms of overlapping and intersecting social networks of varying dimensions, in which different typesof social power were exercised by different groups . . ."(p. 158).

Schwartz's concise summary of the Late Chalcolithic inSyria (chapter 6) is exemplary, especially considering theever-growing body of literature on the so-called Uruk phenomenon. Schwartz's emphasis on local development andhis discussion of how the Uruk phenomenon may or maynot have affected local complexity is a refreshing approachto these data.With the chronology of the Late Chalcolithic

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68 BOOK REVIEWS BASOR 341

clearly articulated and Schwartz's discussion of Syria'srole in the Uruk expansion divided by subphase, the readergains a much clearer understanding of the pace and effect of Uruk influence through the Late Chalcolithic period. Further, Schwartz has successfully integrated his ownviews of a process he calls "regeneration" into the historyof northwest Mesopotamia. Instead of emphasizing collapse and seeing succeeding periods as new developments,Schwartz combines indigenous and exogenous factors todescribe how vestiges of former states may have contributed to the revival of urban societies during Syria's MiddleBronze Age (chapter 9). It should also be noted that, unliketraditional treatments of this and other historic periods inthe ancient Near East, emphasis is not placed on textualdata. Instead of enumerating once again the exploits ofShamshi-Adad and his sons, the Late Bronze Age worldsystem described in the Amarna Letters, or the exploits ofthe Assyrian kings, for example, Schwartz sticks to the archaeological evidence, only briefly summarizing the historical context within which it was created. This approach,

which may be seen by some as a detriment, sets this workapart from existing studies while at the same time offeringa fresh archaeological view of a period that is otherwise

well-trodden historical ground.An obvious problem facing this book has been im

posed by the publisher and is apparent in the title, TheArchaeology of Syria. As with the other books in the Cambridge World Archaeology series, this book is constrainedby the political, administrative, or geographic boundariesof a modern nation-state or geographic region. There are,of course, arguments to be made for placing geographicparameters around studies such as this. The book is already467 pages in length. The problem is that many of the issues, cultural complexes, and/or peoples discussed in this

book have connections with, or relevance beyond, thescope of the present work. The authors do a good job ofdealing with this restriction by briefly discussing areasoutside of modern Syria when the need arises. Nevertheless, widening the scope of this book to, for example, thearchaeology of northwestern Mesopotamia, might havegiven the authors license to define more broadly the topicsdiscussed and, in doing so, fit them into larger trends inthe archaeology of the Middle East. As it is, The Archaeology of Syria occupies a difficult position, especially considering the absence of an "Archaeology of Iraq" in the

Cambridge series. It is this reviewer's sincere hope that thepublisher is considering companion volumes for the rest oftheMiddle East. Doing sowould certainly put this volumein a much broader context while helping to alleviate theinsensitivity to historical geography imposed by modernpolitical borders in theMiddle East.

Bradley J. ParkerUniversity of Utah

bradley.j [email protected]

Archaeological Field Survey in Cyprus: Past History Future Potentials: Proceedings of a Conference Held by the Archaeological Research Unit of

Cyprus, 1-2 December 2000, edited by Maria lacovou. British School at Athens Studies 11. London:British School at Athens, 2004. 208 pp., 89 figures, 1 unnumbered photograph, 10 tables. Cloth.?49.00. [Distributed In North America by The David Brown Book Company]

Iacovou cites the impetus for this work as the "cumulative site and landscape protection failures" which haveresulted in "multiple crimes [being] inflicted against ourshared natural and anthropogenic heritage" (p. 11). Iacovou is referring to the rapid pace of archaeological loss asa result of the incessant and increasing demands of modern development, especially, in Cyprus, to accommodatethe tourism industry. Iacovou posits that "[s]omething concrete but less time demanding than excavation should bedone to compensate for the rapid loss of potentially vitalinformation," and suggests that regional survey might de

velop into a "model of scientific response" for these modern threats to the ancient remains (p. 11). This conference,and its published proceedings, was intended to explore theusefulness of regional survey, as compared with full excavations, as a tool in the documentation of ancient settle

ments and land-use patterns in the face of their impendingdestruction.

This monograph consists of 14 numbered contributions, with two unnumbered contributions set apart both inplacement and designation. The first is an "Editor's preface," outlining the conference's origins, organization, andaims; the second is a contribution by Gerald Cadogan,based upon an interview with Hector Catling, recordingthe genesis and history of Cypriot survey. The numberedcontributions fall into two categories: those that discussrecent or ongoing survey work on Cyprus itself (nos. 2-10)and those that offer ? comparative view of survey work inother areas of the Mediterranean (nos. 1, 11-14). The threeposter sessions held at the conference were acknowledged,but not reproduced, in the published volume.

Cadogan's interview with Catling provides valuablenew historiographie information on the pioneers of modernCypriot archaeology and their shaping of the current knowledge of the Cypriot archaeological record. Hadjisavvas'scontribution complements that of Cadogan, providing abrief history of Cypriot survey since Catling. Again, this isa valuable historiographie contribution, as Hadjisavvasis regarded as the foremost surveyor within the Depart

ment of Antiquities and, during his tenure as director, wasknown for his instigation and support of survey work inCyprus by foreign teams, including the present reviewer.

The editor's preface documents the heated discussionsconcerning heritage management which led to the draftingof a resolution proposing the reestablishment of a SurveyBranch of the Cypriot Department of Antiquities, the textof which is reproduced (p. 16). Cherry, the conference'skeynote speaker, squarely faces the issue of cultural heri

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