Tell Sabi Abyad was a major Neolithic settlement in Upper Mesopotamia, occupied for 1800 years during the 7th to 6th millennium cal BC. Excavations have revealed hundreds of clay sealings, stamp-seal impressions and an even greater number of small, geometric-shaped clay objects or ‘tokens’. Drawing on previous unpublished data from decades of excavations, a detailed, contextual study of the form and distribution of Tell Sabi Abyad’s ‘tokens’ is presented. Though likely used as counting tools in certain specific occupational areas and levels, the evidence does not suggest a singular universal role of geometric clay objects as mnemonic accounting devices.

中文翻译：

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粘土物体作为“令牌”？美索不达米亚新石器时代晚期 Tell Sabi Abyad 早期计数和管理的证据

Tell Sabi Abyad 是美索不达米亚上游的一个主要新石器时代聚居地，在公元前 7 至 6 世纪被占领了 1800 年。挖掘工作发现了数百个粘土印章、印章印记和更多的小型几何形状粘土物体或“令牌”。利用来自数十年挖掘的先前未发表的数据，对 Tell Sabi Abyad 的“令牌”的形式和分布进行了详细的背景研究。尽管可能在某些特定的职业领域和级别用作计数工具，但证据并未表明几何粘土物体作为助记记账设备的单一普遍作用。