CHARACTER OF THE FEASTS IN A PREPOTTERY NEOLITHIC OF THE MIDDLE EAST

Tema ovog rada su gozbe pretkeramičkog neolitika Bliskog istoka. Cilj je dati pregled odabranih arheoloških nalazišta na kojima su zabilježeni tragovi gozbovanja. Etnološka teorija daje nam, u kombinaciji s analizom materijalnih dokaza, podlogu za promišljanje o karakteru gozbi. Gozbe promatramo kao zajednički događaj koji je osim što je praktičan i profan, također ima i ritualni karakter. Gozbe se koriste kao kohezivno sredstvo pomoću kojeg se smanjuju unutarnje tenzije zajednice koje proizlaze prilikom prelaska ljudi s nomadskog načina života i lovačko- sakupljačkog načina privrede na sjedilački način života u kojem ljudi počinju pripitomljavati određene biljne i životinjske vrste. Uz gozbovanje, u radu se prezentira ta tranzicija i kroz oblikovanje prostornih aspekata stanovanja i kroz ritualno ponašanje vezano uz gozbovanje.The topic of this paper are the feasts of the prepoterry Neolithic of the Middle East. The aim is to provide an overview of selected archaeological sites where traces of feasting have been recorded. Ethnological theory gives us, in combination with the analysis of material evidence, a basis for questioning about the character of feasts. Feasts are viewed as a common event which, in addition to being practical and profane, also has a ritual character. Feasts are used as a cohesive medium for reducing the internal tensions that arise when people move from a nomadic lifestyle and a hunting-gathering economy to a sedentary lifestyle in which people begin to domesticate certain plant and animal species. In addition to feasting, the paper presents this transition through the shaping of the spatial aspects of housing and through ritual behavior related to feasting