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A Complement For Arak
A Complement For Arak
A Complement For Arak
Yunyao Chen
There are four buildings recorded and numbered by Professor Phys Pelaf, including Building A,
Building, Building D, Building E and Building J. Building J is the smallest one and was evaluated as
"poorly - constructed building". In addition, the clay platform (d) inside is also described as "poorly
built". It is worth noting that "coarse" was used to describe several artifacts, including sherds, flint
flakes and pottery jars. Finally, even though there are bone piles with domestic animals found, many
wild animal bones are also attested. Therefore, Building J is likely to be the earliest one compared with
other buildings. Building E is characterized by many small windowless rooms with objects related to
marine shells. It seems that this building is a workshop and warehouse for marine shells and related
artifacts. Building D is a large complex. The presence of cobblestones, good blades of obsidian,
obsidian blade cores and hundreds of chips and small flakes of obsidian indicates that this complex
may also have been functioned as a workshop and warehouse for obsidian objects. Building E and
Building D indicate the existence of long-distance trade and specialized craft production. Building A is
the most complex building, in which three rooms have been recorded by the field notes. A wide range
of archaeological remains are excavated in this building, such as animal bones, carbonized woolen
clothes, sherds, obsidian items, chips, clay jars, several plants, etc. Building A is likely to belong to a big
family of high social ranking. The presence of Building A may be considered as an indicator of social
stratification in the Neolithic of Arak. In addition, there are many burnt objects found in Building A,
which suggests this building was destroyed by fire. Possibly, this settlement may have been attacked in
ancient times.
The cemetery of Tell Al-Felafel needs further excavations. There are only 16 graves that have been
recorded. Dr. Rich Humus thought there were more than 190 graves which remain to be excavated
because of surface depressions and sherd scatters. From my perspective, this cemetery may have
been largely unearthed before Professor Rhys Pelaf's expedition. The number and quality of burial
objects vary greatly. Perhaps, the earlier graves contain simpler and fewer objects than the later
graves. It is also possible there is a huge difference among the social status of their owners. In
addition, the owner of grave 8 is most likely to be killed, because there is an unhealed puncture
wound on the right of his breast bone.