The Usage of Ochre at the Verge of Neolithisation from the Near East to the Carpathian Basin

Julia Kościuk-Załupka gained her PhD from the Jagiellonian University, Cracow. She directed the project on ochre utilization at the verge of the Neolithic, of which this book is the result, financed by the Polish MInistry of Science and Higher Education. She has been an active participant in many projects. Her major interests refer to the Stone Age, with special focus on tools and techniques.

1. Introduction ;


Purpose of the work ;


Territorial range ;


Chronological range ;


Bibliographical review ;


Review of the material sources ;


Methodological framework ;



2. Ochre ;


The definition of ochre and its characteristics ;


Natural occurrence of mineral components of ochre ;


Other ochre components ;


Methods of ochre analysis ;


Analytical procedures in ochre studies: main expectations ;



3. Cultural Background with Particular Consideration of Neolithisation Processes and Interregional Contacts. The Question of a Sacred-Profane Dichotomy ;


The Levant ;


Anatolia ;


The Balkan Peninsula and Southern Carpathian Basin ;


Northern and Eastern Carpathian Basin ;



4. Contexts of Ochre Finds in Archaeological Layers ;



5. Ethnographic Analogies for Ochre Application ;



6. Ochre in the Neolithic Transformations from the Levant to the Carpathian Basin ;


Levant ;


Anatolia ;


The Balkan Peninsula and Southern Carpathian Basin ;


Northern and Eastern Carpathian Basin ;


Summary ;


7. Ochre Outcrops on the Terrains under Investigation ;



The Levant ;


Anatolia ;


The Balkan Peninsula ;


Carpathian Basin ;



8. Analysis of Ochre Samples ;


Methodological approach ;


Israel ;


Turkey ;


Bulgaria ;


Romania ;


Hungary ;


Slovakia ;


Discussion ;



9. The Meaning of Ochre in Societies on the Verge of Neolithisation ;



10. Conclusions ;



11. Bibliography ;



Appendix 1. Catalogue of Archaeological Sites ;



Appendix 2. Catalogue of Natural Ochre Outcrops ;



Links to Online Appendices ;


Appendix 3. Catalogue of Ochre Samples ;


Appendix 4. Catalogue of EDS Studies ;


Appendix 5. Plates