In this book, Akkermans provides a systematic overview of the Halaf
culture in the Syrian portion of the valley of the Balikh River, a
tributary of the Euphrates. Following a broad exposition of the
geography of the region, excavation results, definition of chronological
periods within the Halaf, and patterns of site distributions,
interpretive questions are explored. These include site types and the
problems of determining site hierarchies, the nature of Halaf
subsistence, and the role of exchange in the Halaf culture.