9314813 Hole This award supports a U.S.-France workshop on the analysis and interpretation of the use of stone tools from the pre-pottery neolithic period of the Near East (ca. 8500-6500 BC) to be held in Jales, France, October, 1994. The organizers are Frank Hole of Yale University, Marie-Louise Inizan and Marie-Claire Cauvin of the Institute for Near East Prehistory in Jales, France. This period represents the initial spread and development of agriculture and animal husbandry. Many sites have been excavated by many countries yet communication among researchers has been difficult. The purpose of this workshop, one in a series between 30 archaeologists worldwide, is to coordinate efforts and research, and to identify areas for future cooperation. This U.S.-France group of 20 systematists and experimentalists will analyze the manufacture and function of stone tools used during the neolithic period. Stone tools are abundant at pre-pottery neolithic sites in the Near East. Comparison of these implements is used traditionally to assess the ages of the sites, activities, and cultural relationships among the sites' inhabitants. This work will contribute directly to the effort of understanding human activity and culture from this crucial period. ***
