Publisher's Synopsis
Architecture, and the layout of settlements, are key elements of archaeological research that enable an understanding of past societies. In studying the built environment and the articulation of social spaces, it is possible to shed light on the social relations of communities, and on the ideology, economy, and cultural and social practices that underpinned how people lived. Taking a study of the built environment as its starting point, this volume draws together contributions focusing on the Neolithic transition in south-western Asia. Covering a period that extends from the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic through to the Late Neolithic (c. 10,000-5500 BCE), the chapters gathered here explore the built environment from different regions, perspectives, and methodologies, and draw on new theoretical and analytical approaches in order to expand our knowledge of the emergence of the Neolithic through the lens of architectural and settlement analysis.
