DOI issue:
Syria
DOI article:Bieliński, Piotr: Tell Arbid: preliminary report, 1998
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41273#0216
TELL ARBID
SYRIA
The courtyard (locus 1) was at least 4 m
long and 3.1 m wide, while the room (locus
10) was about 3 m long and at least 2 m
wide. Two other rooms at the southern edge
of trench 36/65 are presumably part of the
same house; as only small sections were
uncovered within the limits of the trench,
their exploration will be continued in the
coming season. Locus 10 contained a large
rectangular hearth (measuring ca
1.5 x 0.5 m) situated near the northeastern
corner of the room. The masonry of this
architectural unit is of extremely good
quality with proper bonding of all the walls
and corners. The bricks used for construc-
tion measured 32x32 cm, but there were
also half-bricks used to work out the bond.
The courtyard floor was treated with the
same care and skill. The topmost of four
consecutive floor levels was composed of a
layer of fine gravel covered with pebbles
and potsherds, and among them three clay
bullae bearing cylinder seal impressions.
The only one on which the impression
could be recognized easily was decorated
with representations of human figures set
in two registers one above the other. The
main axis of the decoration is in this case
perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder
seal itself. (Fig. 5, right)
In style and iconography, this impres-
sion resembles in many respects the Early
Dynastic III sealings from Ebla. Crushed
vessels were also found on this floor and
several turned out to be mendable, includ-
ing a small carinated bowl, semi-globular
bowl with handles and a beautiful 35 cm-
high Metallic Ware jar.
The complete plan of this house will
never be known as its eastern part has
already been swept away by erosion, but
what remains of it on the other sides
should be cleared in the next season.
A large pit situated on the western edge of
trench 36/66 forms a separate stratigraph-
ic unit separating stratum III from the
next 3rd mill. BC layer in this area. This
pit (designated as Locus 4) contained
a considerable amount of ED III A sherds,
including some complete vessels like, for
example, two fine-ware cups. There were
also some clay bullae on which fragments
Fig. 5. Seal impressions on 3rd mill. BC clay bullae from trenches 36/65 and 36/66
(Drawings J. Lorynowicz, Z. Wygnanska, P. Biel inski and D. Bielinska)
214
SYRIA
The courtyard (locus 1) was at least 4 m
long and 3.1 m wide, while the room (locus
10) was about 3 m long and at least 2 m
wide. Two other rooms at the southern edge
of trench 36/65 are presumably part of the
same house; as only small sections were
uncovered within the limits of the trench,
their exploration will be continued in the
coming season. Locus 10 contained a large
rectangular hearth (measuring ca
1.5 x 0.5 m) situated near the northeastern
corner of the room. The masonry of this
architectural unit is of extremely good
quality with proper bonding of all the walls
and corners. The bricks used for construc-
tion measured 32x32 cm, but there were
also half-bricks used to work out the bond.
The courtyard floor was treated with the
same care and skill. The topmost of four
consecutive floor levels was composed of a
layer of fine gravel covered with pebbles
and potsherds, and among them three clay
bullae bearing cylinder seal impressions.
The only one on which the impression
could be recognized easily was decorated
with representations of human figures set
in two registers one above the other. The
main axis of the decoration is in this case
perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder
seal itself. (Fig. 5, right)
In style and iconography, this impres-
sion resembles in many respects the Early
Dynastic III sealings from Ebla. Crushed
vessels were also found on this floor and
several turned out to be mendable, includ-
ing a small carinated bowl, semi-globular
bowl with handles and a beautiful 35 cm-
high Metallic Ware jar.
The complete plan of this house will
never be known as its eastern part has
already been swept away by erosion, but
what remains of it on the other sides
should be cleared in the next season.
A large pit situated on the western edge of
trench 36/66 forms a separate stratigraph-
ic unit separating stratum III from the
next 3rd mill. BC layer in this area. This
pit (designated as Locus 4) contained
a considerable amount of ED III A sherds,
including some complete vessels like, for
example, two fine-ware cups. There were
also some clay bullae on which fragments
Fig. 5. Seal impressions on 3rd mill. BC clay bullae from trenches 36/65 and 36/66
(Drawings J. Lorynowicz, Z. Wygnanska, P. Biel inski and D. Bielinska)
214