The Pre-Pottery Neolithic A was a period of time spanning 9,600 to 8,700 BC. It was a culture with circular-based architecture, distinctive chipped stone artefacts, cup-hole mortars and shallow burials below the floors of structures.
The Pre-Pottery Neolithic A, or PPNA, was succeeded by the PPNB, where rectangular structures became common. There were new types of stone points and we start to see evidence for domesticated plants and animals.
Göbekli Tepe spanned both periods, and although it's the most famous Pre-Pottery Neolithic site in the Fertile Crescent, it's certainly not the only one. There are dozens, and some of them are huge, including Karahan Tepe, Mureybet and Jerf el Ahmar. But I’m sure many of you will never have heard of one huge Pre-Pottery Neolithic A site, with mysterious artefacts and fantastic examples of ancient architecture.
It is known as Tell ‘Abr 3, which started to be excavated more than 20 years ago. This little-talked about site is truly fascinating, and contains some incredible examples of Pre-Pottery Neolithic architecture and artefacts. A must watch for people with an interest in Göbekli Tepe!
00:00 - The Pre-Pottery Neolithic A
03:17 - Tell 'Abr 3
07:46 - Communal Building B2
13:19 - Communal Building M1
16:16 - Amazing 11,000-Year-Old Artefacts
19:27 - The Importance of the Aurochs
20:46 - The Large Oval Enclosure
21:41 - Concluding Remarks