Rebelling against the tyranny of tepa. Intensive surface survey in the surroundings of Khaytabad Tepa, southern Uzbekistan
Abstract
The significant bias of early archaeological surveys in the Near East towards the investigation of tell sites led T.J. Wilkinson to referring to 'the tyranny of the tell'.
Such an observation is valid to a certain degree also for many researches conducted in Central Asia, where the very same 'tyrant' appears under the name tepa (tepe, depe). Although the tepa-oriented survey provides fundamental data for the study of past settlement, this bias often leads to underestimating the remains of other human activities that were taking place in the surrounding landscape.
Intensive surface survey approaches have already been adopted in Central Asia. However, such 'rebellions against the tyranny of tepa' are still rather rare in the region.
Based on the preliminary results of the first season of the intensive surface survey in the surroundings of Khaytabad Tepa, the proposed poster evaluates the application of intensive survey methodology in the lowland area severely affected by the Soviet-period collectivization, the introduction of mechanized agriculture, and, in recent past, also significant urban encroachment. The amount and chronological range of material collected mainly in the ploughed fields, gardens, and house plots point out to a great potential of the adopted approach as well as the research area itself.
The gathered evidence contribute significantly to the knowledge of land use in the vicinity of Khaytabad Tepa and its transformations. The collected pottery assemblages reflect to certain degree the occupation timespan of the central walled settlement (Achaemenid - High Medieval period), its distribution in the landscape, however, differs significantly.
While the material dated to Antiquity occurs seldom, the material of the Late Iron Age (Achaemenid?) and High Medieval period appears to be widespread in the area, corresponding probably to a different settlement pattern.