PPNB

PPNB stands for Pre-Pottery Neolithic B. It is a period in the history of the ancient Near East, typically dated from around 9000 to 7000 BCE. This archaeological period follows the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) and precedes the Pottery Neolithic (PN) period. PPNB is characterized by significant advancements in settled village life, agriculture, and material culture.

Villages during the PPNB period were often larger and more permanent than those of the preceding PPNA. Settlements frequently featured well-built rectangular mudbrick houses, often with plastered floors and internal divisions. Evidence suggests a more organized social structure and increased population density. Agriculture became more sophisticated, with a wider range of domesticated plants and animals, including sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs, alongside crops like wheat, barley, and legumes.

Toolkits from the PPNB are notable for their finely crafted flint implements, including axes, adzes, and sickles. A significant development during this period is the appearance of polished stone axes, which were essential for woodworking and clearing land for agriculture. PPNB sites also yield evidence of early forms of art and ritual, including plaster casts of human skulls and communal burial practices, suggesting evolving spiritual beliefs and social customs. The PPNB period represents a crucial stage in the transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to fully agricultural societies in the Fertile Crescent.