Fig. 5 Jamila of Ba`ja (Merit Benz) moving with her flock. Scene from the tv documentary Wir nannten s­­­­­­­ie Jamila directed by Barbara Puskás. (Photo: M. Benz, Ba`ja N.P.)

The Film

In the TV documentary “We called her Jamila”, the rich burial serves as a door-opener for insights into daily life in the so-called mega-sites of the Southern Levant, 9000 years ago, focusing on the changing social organization in the earliest farming communities and on the consequences – until today – of the Neolithization. The film was directed by Barbara Puskás for the EPO film GmbH, supported by Ferdinand Steininger, camera, Nino Pfaffenbichler, sound, and Merit Benz, actor. Artist Sereen al-Shoubaki drew life-scenes on the site. Scientific consulting and coordination were done by Marion Benz from the project’s side.