DOI Artikel:
Bieliński, Piotr: Polish excavations in north-east Syria 1988-1989
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42008#0028
millenniumB.C. Thetopmostlayer, almost completely destroyed by erosion, lies
immediately beneath the surface of the tell. Its scanty remains consist of a
fragmentary stone pavement made of pebbles with some broken ED III pots
scattered over it. The second layer contained only some badly preserved
fragments of mudbrick walls, while the third included a fragment of a large,
well preserved mudbrick wall. Against this wall there was a deposit over 1.5m
thick composed of thin layers of ash and clay. In the fourth stratum a fire
place and a tannur were discovered in an open space. The fifth layer (over 1.6m
thick) contained 3ome fragments of mudbrick structures and a pit filled with
ashes and potsherds. The ceramic material coming from there can be also
attributed to the ED III period. The 6th layer contained fragments of at least
five very small rooms. Their walls were constructed of single rows of long
mudbricks. There was no trace of doors leading to any of the rooms and not a
singlediagnosticsherdcanbeassociatedwiththisstructure. The next, seventh
stratum seems to belong to the Late Uruk period. As the 8th layer is considered
a huge wail, over 6m wide, constructed of very large mudbricks should be
mentioned. The character and a precise function of this structure remains still
unclear, but it seems nevertheless'evident that it was erected during the ED III
period. The lowest stratum can be subdivided into smaller stratigraphic units
representing the Late Obeid culture. This rather thick layer lies immediately on
the virgin soil and should be considered as representing the oldest settlement
on Tell Abu Hafur. It can be said in conclusion that the main bulk of
occupational deposits on the site comes from ED III period, when AM} Hafur was a
largeandprosperoussettlement.lt was also established that the site was
occupied since the Obeid period.
The occupation of the smaller mound. Tell Abu Hafur East is much later.
Four small soundings have been opened thereto test the stratigraphy of this
tell, three on the top and one on the Western slope. There are at least six main
layers. The upper stratum, considerably disturbed by modern Islamic graves and
erosion, contained some fragmentary stone foundations and the pottery collected
24
immediately beneath the surface of the tell. Its scanty remains consist of a
fragmentary stone pavement made of pebbles with some broken ED III pots
scattered over it. The second layer contained only some badly preserved
fragments of mudbrick walls, while the third included a fragment of a large,
well preserved mudbrick wall. Against this wall there was a deposit over 1.5m
thick composed of thin layers of ash and clay. In the fourth stratum a fire
place and a tannur were discovered in an open space. The fifth layer (over 1.6m
thick) contained 3ome fragments of mudbrick structures and a pit filled with
ashes and potsherds. The ceramic material coming from there can be also
attributed to the ED III period. The 6th layer contained fragments of at least
five very small rooms. Their walls were constructed of single rows of long
mudbricks. There was no trace of doors leading to any of the rooms and not a
singlediagnosticsherdcanbeassociatedwiththisstructure. The next, seventh
stratum seems to belong to the Late Uruk period. As the 8th layer is considered
a huge wail, over 6m wide, constructed of very large mudbricks should be
mentioned. The character and a precise function of this structure remains still
unclear, but it seems nevertheless'evident that it was erected during the ED III
period. The lowest stratum can be subdivided into smaller stratigraphic units
representing the Late Obeid culture. This rather thick layer lies immediately on
the virgin soil and should be considered as representing the oldest settlement
on Tell Abu Hafur. It can be said in conclusion that the main bulk of
occupational deposits on the site comes from ED III period, when AM} Hafur was a
largeandprosperoussettlement.lt was also established that the site was
occupied since the Obeid period.
The occupation of the smaller mound. Tell Abu Hafur East is much later.
Four small soundings have been opened thereto test the stratigraphy of this
tell, three on the top and one on the Western slope. There are at least six main
layers. The upper stratum, considerably disturbed by modern Islamic graves and
erosion, contained some fragmentary stone foundations and the pottery collected
24