The End of the Ubaid Period in the Upper Tigris River Valley

Abstract

Excavations at Kenan Tepe by the Upper Tigris Archaeological Research Project (UTARP) revealed four phases of Ubaid period occupation. The goal of this paper is to place the final phase of occupation at the site, Kenan Tepe Ubaid phase 4 (KTU phase 4), into a broader regional context, and to situate the KTU phase 4 ceramic assemblage within the Ubaid to post-Ubaid transition (Late Chalcolithic 1) of greater Mesopotamia. Recent excavations and studies from throughout Greater Mesopotamia have highlighted the local variation of this transition. This paper will compare the materials from KTU phase 4 to other sites in the Upper Tigris region to provide an overview of regional character during this time in the Tigris Valley in southeastern Turkey. Additionally, I will present the results of the use-alteration analysis from the KTU phase 4 occupation to outline the function of ceramics and the daily practices of the inhabitants of Kenan Tepe. This analysis could aid in identifying regional variations of ceramic use that can highlight differences in social and economic organizations within communities during the Ubaid to post-Ubaid transition.