تحية طيبة

Hello. A number of cravings at Gobekli Type are the head of a bull. I have been working on a manuscript showing correlations between these carvings, and aspects of phases of the moon. There are also artifacts that I believe correlate with the appearance of the head of a bull. This feature is an aspect of the Milky Way as it becomes vertical to the horizon. It occurs at the same azimuths as the setting sun. It could have given rise to myths of a bull descending below the horizon chasing the sun and returning it the next morning at dawn. That is like the myth related to the cow goddess Hathor.

and didn't Catalhoyuk have horns in housing? I'd be interested in how you plan to frame the question of what is a ritual object and how you can prove an object was used for non-utilitarian purposes.

Lorraine Clay

• thanks for replying to my question. I know about Catalhoyuk, I actually hoping to know if there are any other sites, especially in the region levant. also, I want to know if there are period Epi-Paleolithic sites too, to know if this behavior is happening older than the Neolithic period. in Iran, we have sites like Shekhi Abad, Ganj Dareh, Ali Kosh that their excavators mentioned the horns and skull of animals as ritual objects. as a ritual or non-utilitarian matter, I know it is very difficult to state their function like that, but I have some factors like where on the site they have been founded (like in Catalhoyuk they been found in houses), what period are they belongs, wild or domesticated, what animal the horns belongs to and etc. I want to see if I can test a neolithization theory or not. if you know other sites in the fertile crescent, especially in the Levant region and Epi-Paleolithic period I will be grateful to share them with me

First a question: How do you define "ritual" object in this case?

Several examples of stone cravings of bucrania at Gobekli Type.

Andy Reymann I didn`t expect to be questioned :)))

first, a ritual object is different from those that were used as daily ones. second, the context they been found is very important. like the bull's skulls and horns in Catalhoyuk. third, the shape and form and likely the colors of these kinds of objects are different that makes them distinguished from other objects.

John Gordon yes Gobekli Tepe`s pillars and the animal craving on them are the most symbolic archaeological finds in the fertile crescent. but my aims include only on skulls and horns of animals. such as goats, bulls, sheep, dears,...

Seyyed Kamal Asadi Ojaei

The problematic field of "rituals" contains several difficulties for archaeologists. As a ritual can only be defined as repeatedly done activity in a constant manner, the finding of unique items disqualifies them for beeing part of a ritual - as they are "too unique" to be used in usual ritual manner.

Of course, special items are predistend to be of a special importance...but.

As for your points, some request:

1.) How can you define daily routine in prehistoric times? Especially looking at bone tools.

2.) Which context do you define as ritual? Of course, special places ssem to be perfect places, but the discussion about those sites fills many books and it is hard to define a "holy" place if we dont know, what was holy or religious for a long past society.

3.) Special size, colur and so on can be hints for ritual - but also for beeing part of the sphere of social interaction, representation and so on....

Sorry, i am always a little bit critical on this field ;-)

@andyreymann

It is very difficult to distinguish the ritual and daily activities from each other. we can't be sure of anything we say or write about those times. we just can say "they probably use things for that purpose".

one way is that we can look for standardization in objects, then we can recognize those that are different from others. then we will go after why should it be different and so on... we may reach a point that they are different for specific reasons or just they are different for no reason. bone tools have daily job purposes like weaving but a big horn on the wall of an architectural unit would be unique evidence... think there are to consider.

again we can't be sure of anything we think. as you said we don't exactly know what is holy or not for them. they could have specific places for ritual objects or they could just do it in their own private home, they could use skull and horns of animals for rituals or they could just use them as decoration....

we just can guess what they thinks as materials let us. that's why there's several different theories.

no need to apologize, it is good to talk and challenge our thoughts and make a progress. if you know more sites with skulls and horns of animals that may look like ritual objects I will be grateful to know (specifically in the Levant and in the Epi-paleolithic period).