The use of animal resources during the Neolithic period in the Jordanian site Tell Abu Suwwan (PPNB-PN)

This paper aims to present the preliminary results of the archaeozoological analysis carried out on the faunal assemblages of Tell Abu Suwwan - Jordan. Tell Abu Suwwan is one of Pre Pottery Neolithic mega villages which located in Northern Jordan. The site was excavated by the University of Jordan 2005,2006,2007 and 2008 field excavations, directed by prof. Maysoon Al Nahar, suggest that the site was occupied continually from the Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic phase B (MPPNB) to the Yarmoukian (Pottery Neolithic) period. The site was excavated in two area: area A which contained few walls, plaster floors and area B that yielded a large square and a rectangular building with three clear types of plaster floors. Both Areas A and B include many lithics, faunal remains and some small finds. The faunal assemblages of Tell Abu Suwwan are mainly composed by domestic taxa like goat and sheep, and wild species as gazelle, wild boar and other ungulates. These faunal assemblages were bad preserved due to high limestone mineralization on the surface of the assemblages. Anthropical and natural factors increased the bone fragmentation. This archaezoological analysis wish to present the paleo-economic change during the different phases of the Neolithic.