Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (802 page)

Yadin , Yigael
(1917–84)
[Bi].

Israeli soldier, archaeologist, and politician. At the age of sixteen he joined Haganah, the defence force raised in Palestine by the Jewish community. Later he commanded Israel's armed forces as acting commandant and, in 1948, was involved with the establishment of the state of Israel. In 1949 he was appointed Chief of the General Staff with the rank of major-general. Preferring archaeology to the military life, he was appointed to the Chair of Archaeology in the Hebrew University in 1963. His excavations included work at Hazor, Megiddo, and Masada. In 1966 he published the popular book
Masada: Herod's fortress and the Zealots' last stand
(London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson). In the early 1970s he entered politics and was eventually elected deputy prime minister, but he did not stand again after 1981.
[Obit.:
Antiquity
, 58 (1984), 169]

 
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One of the earliest cultivated plants in southeast Asia, perhaps first domesticated in the northern mainland regions about 3000 bc before spreading to New Guinea and Melanesia. Two main species are represented: Doscorea alata and Doscorea esculenta. Yams were independently domesticated in tropical Africa and South America.

 
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A late Neolithic pastoralist culture dating to 2000–1800 bc of the lower Volga and Don steppelands of Russia, also known as the Pit Grave Culture. Possibly a forebear of the Corded Ware Culture or Kurgan Culture in the area.

 
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Early Neolithic culture dating to 5000–3000 bc in north-central China, also known as the Painted Pottery Neolithic, named after the type-site of Yangshao in Mianchi Xian, western Henan Province. The agricultural economy was based on millet, complemented by domesticated dogs and pigs. Projectile points suggest that hunting was also practised. Their material culture includes coarse and painted pottery with many regional styles. Markings on some pottery have been interpreted as incipient writing. Some copper and bronze objects have been found associated with Yangshao pottery in the far western extent of the distribution of this culture.

 
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Multi-period site northwest of Lake Urmia, extensively excavated by Charles Burney in the 1960s. The earliest layers date to the late 7th millennium
bc
and were comparable to the Hajji Firuz Phase. These represent some of the earliest permanent settlements in the region. Nine phases were represented, characterized by rectangular houses with plastered floors. The early Bronze Age phases, dating to the later 5th millennium
bc
, included closely packed circular dwellings equipped with benches and storage bins all set within a stone walled enclosure. Exploration of the Iron Age levels included the initial discovery of painted triangle ware dating to the second quarter of the 1st millennium
bc
.
[Rep.: C. A. Burney , 1961, Excavations at Yanik Tepe, north-west Iran. Iraq, 23, 138–53]

 
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Open space within, adjacent to, or surrounding a domestic structure or dwelling. Typically wholly or partly paved or surfaced in some way and sometimes provided with drains, a well, and facilities for outdoor domestic activities.

 
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