Clark/Narrating Archaeological Sites, 5.A Node on a Global Canvas Tall Ḥisbān in Global History

This chapter makes the case for a global​ history approach to framing and interpreting the​ long- term history of Tall Ḥisbān and its vicinity in​ Jordan. Drawing on theoretical underpinnings from​ various natural and social sciences disciplines, the​ chapter offers avenues for researching the role and​ interaction of macro- and microlevel drivers of long-term cultural production and change at Tall Ḥisbān.​ To this end, endemic polycentrism is introduced as a​ key component of a Southern Levantine cultural paradigm whose shaping influence provides the guard-rails within which the path-​dependent unfolding of​ successive cultural programs takes place. Examples​ of these programs include the tribal kingdom program of the Iron Age era, the poleis of the ensuing​ classical era, and during the succeeding Islamic era:​ Arabization, Islamization, and nascent capitalism.​ Out of these multimillennial processes emerged the ​modern era in the region, including local versions​ of the Great Acceleration and the Anthropocene.​ Finally, these processes are examined in terms of​ their relevance as means to heighten public awareness of the contribution that archaeology can make​ to advancing understanding of the root causes of​ the climate disaster and despair we face and a way​ forward toward a sustainable future.