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70-562: The term was coined by Robert Braidwood in 1948. He proposed that the Neolithic Revolution began in the Hilly Flanks because these areas received enough rainfall for agriculture without irrigation . He also observed that many of the wild progenitors of domesticated crops had their natural habitats in the Hilly Flanks, as did wild sheep and goat . His theory was in opposition to the oasis theory of V. Gordon Childe , which placed

140-508: A Lur tribe from Iran , primarily inhabiting the Central and South Zagros. Major cities inhabited by Bakhtiaris include Masjed Soleyman , Izeh and Shahr-e Kord . A significant number of Bakhtiari still practice nomadic pastoralism. Kurds are another Iranic group found in the northwestern and the eastern Zagros Taurus mountain ranges , which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northern Syria. The high altitude of

210-647: A common feature of the Zagros Mountains. Salt domes are an important target for petroleum exploration , as the impermeable salt frequently traps petroleum beneath other rock layers. There is also much water-soluble gypsum in the region. The mountains are completely of sedimentary origin and are made primarily of limestone . In the Elevated Zagros or the Higher Zagros, the Paleozoic rocks can be found mainly in

280-472: A moderately mountainous “hilly” nature. The moderate nature of the hills in these regions are normally due to the close proximity of the region to a mountainous region. Hence, foothills in certain regions have been dubbed “hilly flanks”. Robert John Braidwood , an American archaeologist from Michigan, led the Iraq-Jarmo Project in the 1950s, which consisted of carrying out interdisciplinary research in

350-638: Is a major reason for the shift to agriculture and herding methods. The change in climate prompted the improvement of human skills, technological innovations, and food management techniques required for successful food production. Excavations by the Joint Istanbul University-Chicago Oriental Institute Prehistoric Project studied an early-village farming site dating back to around 7000 B.C. called Cayönü in southeastern Turkey . The Project gathered resources to learn more about Cayönü , but placed an emphasis on

420-563: Is a prominent geographic region within the Hilly Flanks. The plain is formed by the Shahrizor basin, which is formed by the gradual descending height of the Azmar and Kurhakazhaw mountains. Many modern villages and ancient mounds have settled along the basin. The Shahrizor basin is drained by many streams that join the Tanjero river. The folds of mountains that emerge in the southeast region of Shahrizor make

490-657: Is a region spanning from the Atlai Mountains in Siberia to the Hindu Kush area of Afghanistan and Pakistan , and the northern China Foothill Arc. The characteristics shared include being located along elevated sites around river catchments and historically being early farming sites. Robert Braidwood believes that the settlements in the hilly flanks region are the world’s first village farming communities, evidence of which are derived from archaeological expeditions that studied

560-692: Is also home to populations of Assyrians , Turkic peoples and Farsi speaking Iranians . The mountains contain several ecosystems . Prominent among them are the forest and forest steppe areas with a semi-arid climate . As defined by the World Wildlife Fund and used in their Wildfinder, the particular terrestrial ecoregion of the mid to high mountain area is Zagros Mountains forest steppe (PA0446). The annual precipitation ranges from 400–800 mm (16–31 in) and falls mostly in winter and spring. Winters are severe, with low temperatures often below −25 °C (−13 °F). The region exemplifies

630-527: Is given the nickname the ‘Red Mudbrick Town’. Analysis of the excavations in this region, along with accompanying pottery remains, suggest these findings date back to the Late Chalcolithic Period . Although there are ongoing archaeological projects and excavations, there have only been six archaeological sites of study in Iraqi Kurdistan , including Jarmo. The lower number of sites identified for

700-556: Is still active and the resulting deformation is distributed non-uniformly in the country, mainly taken up in the major mountain belts like Alborz and Zagros. A relatively dense GPS network which covered the Iranian Zagros also proves a high rate of deformation within the Zagros. The GPS results show that the current rate of shortening in the southeast Zagros is ~10 mm/a (0.39 in/year), dropping to ~5 mm/a (0.20 in/year) in

770-803: The American Philosophical Society in 1966. In 1971 the Archaeological Institute of America awarded him the Gold Medal Award for distinguished archaeological achievement. Zagros Mountains The Zagros Mountains are a long mountain range in Iran , northern Iraq , and southeastern Turkey . The mountain range has a total length of 1,600 km (990 miles). The Zagros range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly follows Iran's western border while covering much of southeastern Turkey and northeastern Iraq. From this border region,

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840-665: The Arabian Plate . This collision mainly happened during the Miocene (about 25–5 mya or million years ago ) and folded the entirety of the rocks that had been deposited from the Paleozoic (541–242 mya) to the Cenozoic (66 mya – present) in the passive continental margin on the Arabian Plate. However, the obduction of Neotethys oceanic crust during the Cretaceous (145–66 mya), and

910-577: The Early Neolithic Period in the Hilly Flanks region are explained by three primary reasons. First, morphogenesis may have taken place in the Northern Iraqi plain, resulting in the burial of sites by sedimentary deposits such as alluvium or colluvium . Second, evidence is difficult to locate on imagery, and the nature of their composition is that of fragile, fragmented material. Third, the sites have been destroyed from intensive agriculture in

980-749: The Fars Province have somewhat lower summits, reaching 4,000 metres (13,000 feet). They contain some limestone rocks showing abundant marine fossils. The peaks that are at least 3800 meters high and have a topographic prominence of at least 300 meters: The Zagros Mountains have significant ancient history. They were occupied by early humans since the Lower Paleolithic Period. The earliest human fossils discovered in Zagros belongs to Neanderthals and come from Shanidar Cave , Bisitun Cave , and Wezmeh Cave. The remains of ten Neanderthals , dating from around 65,000–35,000 years ago, have been found in

1050-553: The Neolithic period . The DNA from this bone fragment shows that it is from a distinct genetic group, which was not known to scientists before. He belongs to the Y-DNA haplogroup G2b, specifically its branch G-Y37100 , and mitochondrial haplogroup J1d6. He had brown eyes, relatively dark skin, and black hair, although Neolithic pre Indo-European Iranians carried reduced pigmentation-associated alleles in several genes and derived alleles at 7 of

1120-664: The Paleogene (66–23 mya) rocks south of the Cretaceous rocks and then the Neogene (23–2.6 mya) rocks south of the Paleogene rocks. The mountains are divided into many parallel sub-ranges (up to 10 or 250 km (6.2 or 155.3 miles) wide), and orogenically have the same age as the Alps . Iran's main oilfields lie in the western central foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The southern ranges of

1190-619: The Sumerian , Akkadian and Assyrian cities of Mesopotamia . The mountains create a geographic barrier between the Mesopotamian Plain, which is in modern Iraq , and the Iranian plateau . A small archive of clay tablets detailing the complex interactions of these groups in the early second millennium BC has been found at Tell Shemshara along the Little Zab . Tell Bazmusian , near Shemshara,

1260-671: The Zagros Mountains to the north, the Iranian plateau to the east, the Tigris river to the south, and the lowlands of Mesopotamia to the west. In archaeology, the term Levant is used to describe the approximate historical region encompassing the land east of the Mediterranean in Western Asia . The Levant includes the parts of the modern-day nations of Syria , Lebanon , Jordan , Israel , Palestine and Turkey . A large portion of

1330-507: The Zagros Mountains mouse-like hamster ( Calomyscus bailwardi ), the Basra reed-warbler ( Acrocephalus griseldis ) and the striped hyena ( Hyena hyena ). The Persian fallow deer ( Dama dama mesopotamica ), an ancient domesticate once thought extinct, was rediscovered in the late 20th century in Khuzestan Province, in the southern Zagros. Also, wild goats can be found almost all over

1400-505: The continental arc collision in the Eocene (56–34 mya) both had major effects on uplifts in the northeastern parts of the belt. The process of collision continues to the present, and as the Arabian Plate is being pushed against the Eurasian Plate, the Zagros Mountains and the Iranian plateau are getting higher and higher. Recent GPS measurements in Iran have shown that this collision

1470-496: The pet trade and habitat destruction . Climate change is predicted to strongly impact this species. The entrance to the ancient Mesopotamian underworld was believed to be located in the Zagros Mountains in the far east. A staircase led down to the gates of the underworld. The underworld itself is usually located even deeper below ground than the Abzu , the body of freshwater which the ancient Mesopotamians believed lay deep beneath

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1540-543: The 12 loci, showing the strongest signatures of selection in ancient Eurasians. He did not contribute to the genetic makeup of early European farmers or modern Europeans . Instead, he was the most genetically similar to modern Iranian Zoroastrians , followed by Fars , Balochi , Brahui , Kalash and Georgians . Gallego-Llorente et al. (2016) believes that the Zagros Mountain was a plausible source of Eurasian ancestry in Central and South Asia, along with Kotias , which

1610-720: The Agricultural Revolution in the Near East . In 1950, Braidwood and his wife Linda set up the Jarmo Project to research the early domesticates in certain archaeological sites of interest in the hilly flanks region. The Jarmo Project found evidence of floral and faunal remains that helped to indicate the shift from hunting and gathering of wild species to a mode of subsistence dependent on domesticated plants, animals and their products. Further archaeological expeditions from geologists and botanists provided evidence to supplement

1680-541: The Hilly Flanks region lies within the northern highlands of the Levant . Given its close proximity to the Tigris river in the Fertile Crescent, the land of the hilly flanks is fertile for agriculture and raising livestock. The majority of fertile land most effective for agricultural use consist either of plains where rivers drains out of, or fertile valleys that run through the ridges of the foothills. The Shahrizor Plain

1750-558: The Iraq-Jarmo Project, provided evidence that supported Braidwood's theory. There are other instances where a region of land is given the designation of “the hilly flanks”. A team of anthropologists from the Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis , USA used the term “hilly flanks” to refer to the northern part of a Fertile Arc in China , similar to that of the Fertile Crescent in

1820-674: The Iraqi border and Kabir Kouh Mountains. Ubaid pottery is typically characterised by its black to brown, purple and dark green colours. Additional excavations found Late Chalcolithic pottery in the Rania and Peshdar plains in Northern Iran . The distinct features of this pottery include neckless jars with inverted rims, double-rimmed jars, cannon spouts, globular holemouths and bowls with inwardly turned bevelled rims. The expedition found these characteristics to be similar to those of material uncovered in

1890-641: The Last Glacial Period they had been glaciated to a depth in excess of 1,900 metres (1.2 miles), and during the Last Glacial Period to a depth in excess of 2,160 metres (7,090 feet). Evidence exists of a 20 km (12 miles) wide glacier fed along a 17 km (11 miles) long valley dropping approximately 1,600 m (5,200 ft) along its length on the north side of Kuh-i-Jupar with a thickness of 350–550 m (1,150–1,800 ft). Under conditions of precipitation comparable to current climatic record-keeping, this size of glacier could be expected to form where

1960-620: The Middle East. The area pertaining to the hilly flanks is predominantly characterised as the foothills of the Zagros Mountains . Intercepting through the modern-day borders of Turkey , Iraq , and Iran , the region spans over 1000 miles from the lower central area of the Turkish peninsula, curling around the northern sector of the Tigris river , then running along the foothills of the Zagros Mountain range. The natural borders of this region are

2030-550: The Oriental Institute's Jarmo Project in Iraq was launched by Braidwood. It was an early example of an excavation aiming to retrieve evidence of the methods of early food production and to solve the ecological problem of its origin and early consequences. The project brought together archaeologists, biologists , and geologists in a ground-breaking study which earned it a National Science Foundation grant in 1954 — one of

2100-554: The SE Zagros is deforming above a layer of rock salt (acting as a ductile decollement with a low basal friction ), whereas in the NW Zagros the salt layer is missing or is very thin. This different basal friction is partly responsible for the different topographies on either side of the Kazerun fault. Higher topography and narrower zone of deformation in the NW Zagros is observed whereas in

2170-552: The SE, deformation was spread more and a wider zone of deformation with lower topography was formed. Stresses induced in the Earth's crust by the collision caused extensive folding of the preexisting layered sedimentary rocks . Subsequent erosion removed softer rocks, such as mudstone (rock formed by consolidated mud) and siltstone (a slightly coarser-grained mudstone) while leaving harder rocks, such as limestone (calcium-rich rock consisting of

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2240-654: The Shahrizor Plain and Shimshara in the Rania Plain, were investigated to research methods of early farming. Pottery and clay innovation was a major aspect of creativity and practice in the hilly flanks. Archaeological findings have uncovered remains of pottery dating back to the Neolithic era. The earliest Neolithic pottery primarily consisted of tokens and figurines. The tokens are shaped as balls, cones, buttons, and ‘teardrops’. Figurines commonly depict reclining female individuals, usually with enlarged hips and thighs, which

2310-636: The Shanidar Cave. The cave also contains two later " proto-Neolithic " cemeteries, one of which dates back about 10,600 years and contains 35 individuals. Evidence from later Upper Paleolithic and Epipaleolithic occupations come from Yafteh Cave, Kaldar Cave near Khoramabad , and Warwasi , Malaverd near Kermanshah , Kenacheh Cave in Kurdistan, Boof Cave in Fars and a number of other caves and rock shelters. Signs of early agriculture date back as far as 9000 BC in

2380-479: The Syrian Jazirah region and other locations in northwestern Iraq . The hilly flanks are largely believed to be the origins of agriculture, particularly the use of domestic animals and plants. Jarmo , an archaeological site in northeastern Iraq in the hilly flanks region, raised animals such as goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle, and harvested crops such as wheat, barley, and legumes. Pig domestication occurred in

2450-536: The Zagros mountain range. In the late 19th century, the Asiatic lion ( Panthera leo persica ) inhabited the southwestern part of the mountains. It is now extinct in this region. The Luristan newt ( Neurergus kaiseri ) is a salamander endemic to a small section of the central Zagros Mountains in Iran. It lives in highland streams and is primarily aquatic. This newt is considered vulnerable to extinction due to poaching for

2520-522: The Zagros mountains produces a series of choke points and valleys perfect for agriculture and human development. It has also long defended the Kurds in times of war by acting as a natural barrier . Qashqai people are a tribal confederation in Iran mostly of Turkic origin. Significant populations can be found in Central and South Zagros, especially around the city of Shiraz in the Fars province . The Zagros

2590-454: The annual average temperature was between 10.5 and 11.2 °C (50.9 and 52.2 °F), but since conditions are expected to have been dryer during the period in which this glacier was formed, the temperature must have been lower. Although currently degraded through overgrazing and deforestation , the Zagros region is home to a rich and complex flora. Remnants of the originally widespread oak -dominated woodland can still be found, as can

2660-527: The area difficult to traverse. The land south of the Shahrizor consists of steep, high ridges that make inhabiting and travelling difficult. The land is in the valleys of these ridges are narrow, posing issues for agriculture. The Hilly Flanks share similar characteristics with other foothill chains, including the alluvial fans along the Jordan Valley , the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor, which

2730-430: The collection of data that provided insight on the domestication of plants and animals. Evidence across all excavations showed a shift from the dependence on big wild animals, such as aurochs and red deers, to the raising of domestic sheep and goats. A noteworthy finding from the Joint Istanbul University-Chicago Oriental Institute Prehistoric Project was the low presence of grains and grain legumes. The researchers believe

2800-541: The continental variation of the Mediterranean climate pattern, with a snowy winter and mild, rainy spring, followed by a dry summer and autumn. The mountains of the East-Zagros, the Kuh-i-Jupar (4,135 m (13,566 ft)), Kuh-i-Lalezar (4,374 m (14,350 ft)) and Kuh-i-Hezar (4,469 m (14,662 ft)) do not currently have glaciers. Only at Zard Kuh and Dena some glaciers still survive. However, before

2870-452: The culture viewed as a “sign of femininity.” The creation of clay figurines provide insights into the activities carried out during that time. The female figurines are believed to have been used for education on female bodily development and implies a period of discovering their body and identity. Ubaid pottery has been identified in Kall Karim, a region of the hilly flanks located between

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2940-428: The effect of the changes in climate on food management methods, particularly the shift from hunting and gathering to crop cultivation and livestock domestication. Animal husbandry include the domestication of pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle. The crops frequently harvested include barley, wheat, legumes, and grains. The term “hilly flanks” has been commonly associated with a region of fertile land typically characterised by

3010-528: The existing agricultural practices put in place in particular societies may have inhibited the introduction of pig management. Archaeological remains gathered by studies present evidence on the societal shift from hunting and gathering resources to producing food through agriculture and domesticating livestock. The first evidence of food resource management is believed to be dated back to the Upper Paleolithic Period . The early Holocene climate change

3080-538: The expedition until 1938, during which time he married fellow Michigan graduate Linda Schreiber , who became his partner in the field and in his research. Braidwood spent World War II working for the Army Air Corps , in charge of a meteorological mapping program. In 1943 he gained his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, who immediately employed him, and at whose Oriental Institute and Department of Anthropology he

3150-451: The first times such an award had been made to an anthropological project. When the political situation in Iraq deteriorated, however, Braidwood was forced to leave, and he went on to carry out similar projects in Iran and Turkey. Together with researchers from Istanbul University , Braidwood worked at a site in southern Turkey called Çayönü , and provided extensive and significance evidence for

3220-564: The foothills of the Zagros Mountains . He is believed to be one of the first to coin the phrase “the hilly flanks of the Fertile Crescent” to describe this particular region. Braidwood proposed his theory that the Hilly Flanks region was one of the first agricultural civilisations in the world given the sufficient amount of rainfall the region received. This enabled societies to carry out agriculture without irrigation. Communities were able to raise livestock in these regions. Braidwood's theory

3290-506: The foothills of the Zagros mountains, including Sulaymaniyah , Kermanshah , Khorramabad , and Shiraz . The Lurs are an Iranic tribe, primarily inhabiting the Central, Western, and Southern Zagros. Cities inhibited by Lurs include Khorramabad , Borujerd , Malayer , Izeh , Shahr-e Kord , Yasuj . Lurs speak Luri and span across many provinces in Iran including Lorestan , Khuzestan , Chaharmahal and Bakthiari , Ilam , Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad , and Hamedan . The Bakhtiaris are

3360-511: The foothills of the mountains. Some settlements later grew into cities, eventually named Anshan and Susa ; Jarmo is one archaeological site in this area. Some of the earliest evidence of wine production has been discovered in the mountains; both the settlements of Hajji Firuz Tepe and Godin Tepe have given evidence of wine storage dating between 3500 and 5400 BC. A human metatarsal bone fragment from Wezmeh Cave has been analyzed and dated to

3430-523: The hilly flanks region, but discoveries found that there was an inconsistency in the pig management methods used throughout the region. Pig management had an early introduction in the Jarmo region, while it was introduced at a later stage in the Zagros region. The most likely explanation for the late arrival in different regions is the complex nature of the husbandry practices for managing pigs. Environmental factors and

3500-448: The mountain range include: Allium iranicum , Astragalus crenophila , Bellevalia kurdistanica , Cousinia carduchorum , Cousinia odontolepis , Echinops rectangularis , Erysimum boissieri , Iris barnumiae , Ornithogalum iraqense , Scrophularia atroglandulosa , Scorzonera kurdistanica , Tragopogon rechingeri , and Tulipa kurdica . The Zagros are home to many threatened and endangered species, including

3570-449: The northwest Zagros. The north–south Kazerun strike-slip fault divides the Zagros into two distinct zones of deformation. The GPS results also show different shortening directions along the belt, normal shortening in the southeast, and oblique shortening in the northwest Zagros. The Zagros mountains were created around the time of the second ice age, which caused the tectonic collision, leading to its uniqueness. The sedimentary cover in

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3640-491: The origins of agriculture in well-watered desert refugia such as Mesopotamia . Ultimately, archaeological investigations proved Braidwood correct. The region has been the subject of numerous archaeological expeditions intending to discover more about its historical culture. One such archaeological investigation by the Danish Archaeological Expedition to Iraq (DAEI) aimed to investigate the early urbanism in

3710-416: The park-like pistachio / almond steppelands. The ancestors of many familiar foods, including wheat, barley , lentil , almond, walnut , pistachio, apricot , plum , pomegranate and grape can be found growing wild throughout the mountains. Quercus brantii (covering more than 50% of the Zagros forest area) is the most important tree species of the Zagros in Iran. Other floral endemics found within

3780-515: The poor preservation of the food plants in the upper levels may account for this diminished amount. The decline in traces of food plants may indicate a difference in dependency of food sources, from plant to animal. Shahrizor , a wide valley in the hilly flanks region bordered by the Zagros Mountains in the northeast and the mountainous Surdash region in the northwest, is known for its agricultural history. Various weeds and cereal grasses, such as wild barley, continue to grow in non-cultivated soils of

3850-422: The range continues southeast to the waters of the Persian Gulf . It spans the southern parts of the Armenian highlands , and the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau , ending at the Strait of Hormuz . The highest point is Mount Dena , at 4,409 metres (14,465 ft). The Zagros fold and thrust belt was mainly formed by the collision of two tectonic plates , the Eurasian Plate and

3920-429: The region. The political escalation of the mid-1970s in Iraq became an obstacle for researchers pursuing scientific studies in the hilly flanks region. Most archaeologists shifted their research to the adjacent Levant and Anatolia regions. In the late 2000s, archaeological excavations resumed in the Iraqi Kurdistan region as the political situation stabilised. Sites of the Neolithic period, including Bestansur in

3990-406: The region. Around 1957, an estimated 30% of the land was used for grain cultivation, while around 50% of the land was used for animal husbandry. Robert Braidwood Robert John Braidwood (29 July 1907 – 15 January 2003) was an American archaeologist and anthropologist , one of the founders of scientific archaeology, and a leader in the field of Near Eastern Prehistory . Braidwood

4060-418: The remains of marine organisms) and dolomite (rocks similar to limestone containing calcium and magnesium ). This differential erosion formed the linear ridges of the Zagros Mountains. The depositional environment and tectonic history of the rocks were conducive to the formation and trapping of petroleum, and the Zagros region is an important area for oil production. Salt domes and salt glaciers are

4130-425: The same day. The expedition to the Amuq Plain (in the state of Hatay , Turkey ) was one of the first scientific archaeological surveys, involving the rigorous dating of artifacts through careful mapping and record-keeping. In 1947, Braidwood had learned about carbon dating from his Chicago colleague Willard Libby , and he began to use the method in order to make his dating of artifacts more precise. Also in 1947

4200-418: The shift to the Mediterranean climate known today, consisting of dry summers and wet winters. Despite the evidence gathered from the lake coring expeditions, there is a lack of understanding of the evolution history of the Shahrizor Plain. The plain's climate, characterised by higher altitudes and increased precipitation, present differing environmental patterns in comparison to the general trends provided by

4270-399: The study of the lake cores. The Pishdar and Rania plains, located in the hilly flanks region, have been the location of many archaeological expeditions involving excavations. Excavations at the sites of Bab-w-Kur in the Rania plain revealed the remains of “a series of large tripartite row houses and workshops, and a fortification wall that seems to surround parts of the lower mound.” This area

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4340-423: The theory that between 8,000 and 12,000 years ago there was a shift from a hunter-gatherer to an agricultural society in southern Turkey. Braidwood is the author of "Prehistoric Men," a 181-page booklet in a series on popular topics published in 1967 by the Field Museum . Braidwood was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1963, the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1964, and

4410-418: The understanding of Pleistocene glaciation and Holocene climate changes in the region. The evidence was obtained through archaeological projects involving the coring of Lake Van , Turkey , Lake Zeribar and Lake Mirabad in Iran . The regional environmental studies indicate aridity and lower snow lines during the Pleistocene glaciation periods, and the Holocene climate change saw increased precipitation and

4480-438: The upper and higher sections of the peaks of the Zagros Mountains, along the Zagros main fault. On both sides of this fault, there are Mesozoic rocks, a combination of Triassic (252–201 mya) and Jurassic (201–145 mya) rocks that are surrounded by Cretaceous rocks on both sides. The Folded Zagros (the mountains south of the Elevated Zagros and almost parallel to the main Zagros fault) is formed mainly of Tertiary rocks, with

4550-419: The upper regions of Mesopotamia . Previous survey work done in the Rania Plain, a region in the Hilly Flanks, has recorded settlement history dating back to the Late Chalcolithic Period . Studies on pottery and clay remains in the region uncover the activities of creative expression and entertainment in Neolithic societies that settled in the region. Major emphasis in archaeological studies has been placed on

4620-473: Was a professor until he retired. There is speculation that the fictional character Abner Ravenwood , from the Indiana Jones series, was based on Braidwood. Ravenwood was a fellow distinguished University of Chicago archaeologist known for his work in exotic locales and mentor to "Indy". Braidwood's colleague James Henry Breasted has been cited as a possible model for Indiana Jones Robert John Braidwood died January 15, 2003, in Chicago. His wife Linda died

4690-412: Was born July 29, 1907, in Detroit , Michigan , the first child of Walter John Braidwood (ca. 1876) and Reay Nimmo (1881), and was educated at the University of Michigan , from where he graduated with an M.A. in architecture in 1933. Within a year he had joined the University of Chicago Oriental Institute's expedition to the Amuq Plain with the archaeologist James Henry Breasted . He worked with

4760-418: Was inhabited by Caucasus Hunter-Gatherers. He cites archaeological evidence of eastward Neolithic expansions from the Near East. During early ancient times, the Zagros was the home of various Pre Indo-European peoples such as the Hurrians , Guti , Kassites , Elamites , Turukku and Lullubi , (together with Semitic peoples such as Assyrians and Amorites on the western side) who periodically invaded

4830-410: Was occupied between 5000 BCE and 800 CE, although not continuously. The Zagros mountains have been inhabited by different groups of pastoralists and farmers for thousands of years. Current Pastoralist groups such as Lurs , Bakhtiari Lurs , Kurds or Qashqais move from their herds from the east slopes in summer ( Yeylāgh ) to the west slopes in winter ( Gheshlāgh ). Some major cities are located on

4900-559: Was proposed as a counterargument to that of Australian archaeologist V. Gordon Childe . Childe proposed his Oasis Theory , which argued that the regions of North Africa and Near East experienced desiccation, or a period of increased droughts, higher temperatures, and decreased precipitation. The lack of rainfall resulted in less fertile land that posed issues for inhabitants of the region, which then forced civilisations to mobilise to oases and river valley regions in Mesopotamia . However, further archaeological research expeditions, such as

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