Definition
Jeitun (also rendered Djeitun) is a Neolithic archaeological site located in the foothills of the Kopet‑Dag mountains, approximately 30 km north of Ashgabat in southern Turkmenistan. It serves as the type‑site for the Jeitun culture, representing some of the earliest evidence of settled agriculture in Central Asia.
Overview
The settlement at Jeitun was occupied from roughly 7200 BCE to 4500 BCE, with possible brief interruptions. Excavations have uncovered a small village comprising rectangular, single‑room dwellings constructed from sun‑dried mudbrick blocks. The houses typically featured lime‑plastered floors, central hearths, and adjoining courtyards. The site covers an estimated 5,000 m² and includes the remains of about 30 structures. Archaeobotanical and faunal remains indicate a mixed economy based on cultivated cereals (e.g., wheat and barley), domesticated animals (sheep, goats, and cattle), and hunting of wild game.
Systematic investigations began in the 1950s under the direction of Soviet archaeologist V. M. Masson. Later, a British–Turkmen collaborative project conducted further excavations between 1991 and 1994, providing detailed stratigraphic data and expanding knowledge of early Neolithic lifeways in the region.
Etymology / Origin
The name “Jeitun” is derived from the local Turkmen toponym for the mound on which the settlement is situated. The term itself does not have a known meaning beyond its function as a place‑name.
Characteristics
- Chronology: Early to middle Neolithic, ca. 7200–4500 BCE.
- Architecture: Rectangular mudbrick houses with lime‑plastered floors; occasional ancillary structures such as storage pits and ovens.
- Economy: Evidence of early agriculture (cereals, legumes) and animal husbandry, supplemented by hunting and gathering.
- Material Culture: Stone tools (microlithic blades, scrapers), pottery with simple geometric decoration, and bone implements.
- Cultural Significance: As the type‑site of the Jeitun culture, the settlement defines a broader archaeological horizon that spread across the southern Kopet‑Dag foothills and influences subsequent Neolithic and Chalcolithic developments in Central Asia.
Related Topics
- Jeitun culture – the archaeological culture named after the site, characterized by early farming and distinctive architectural styles.
- Neolithic of Central Asia – the wider regional transition to agriculture and settled life during the 7th–5th millennia BCE.
- Kopet‑Dag mountains – the mountain range that forms the geographical backdrop for the site and other contemporary settlements.
- Turkmenistan archaeology – the study of prehistoric and historic sites within present‑day Turkmenistan, including the Bronze Age Bactria‑Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC).
- V. M. Masson – Soviet archaeologist who first excavated Jeitun in the 1950s.
Jeitun remains a pivotal reference point for understanding the emergence of agriculture and permanent settlements in the Near East’s eastern periphery.