Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (14.2002(2003))

TELL ARBID

SYRIA

TELL ARBID
THE SEVENTH SEASON OF EXCAVATIONS
PRELIMINARY REPORT

Piotr Bielinski

The 2002 campaign of excavations took place in the fall, as usual, and lasted from August
24 to September 30.J> This season our efforts moved from the “citadel", or main tell, to a
small secondary tell, area “A”, situated to its northeast. Explorations here in the first two
seasons on the site had revealed a sequence of layers representing a later stage in the course of
human settlement on Arbid and had led us to believe that a Mitannian settlement of
consequence would be found here. The testing of this hypothesis became our primary objective
for the seventh season of excavations at Tell Arbid.
1) The mission was co-directed by the author and Mr. Ahmad Serriye, the latter representing the Direction Generate des
Antiquites et Musees of Syria. The staff included: Dr. Anna Smogorzewska, Dr. Dariusz Szelgg, Ms Agnieszka Pienkowska,
(all Warsaw University, Institute of Archaeology), Dr. Rafal Kolinski (Poznan University, Institute of Prehistory),
Mr. Andrzej Reiche (National Museum in Warsaw), Mrs. Dorota Bielinska (Research Center for Mediterranean Archaeo-
logy, Polish Academy of Sciences) and Mr. Khaled Ahmo (Regional Direction of Antiquities in Hassake), archaeologists.
Joining the team were Dr. Joanna Pi^tkowska, paleozoologist, and Dr. Arkadiusz Soltysiak, anthropologist (both Warsaw
University Institute of Archaeology), as well as nine students of archaeology: Ms Agnieszka Szymczak, Ms Marta Momot,
Ms Justyna Kosminska, Ms Monika Ozdarska, Mr. Hubert Czerski and Mr. Maciej Makowski (Warsaw University),
Ms Adriana Roman (Poznafi University), Ms Anna Bzowska (Warsaw University of Technology) and Mr. Philip Koch
(University of Venice).
The Direction General of Antiquities and Museums has provided assistance and support, and not the least, a substantial
financial contribution. We are indebted to Dr. Michel al-Maqdissi, Director of Excavations, for advice and encouragement.
Words of gratitude are also due Mr. Abdel Mesiih Bardo, Regional Director of Antiquities in Hassake, for his day-to-day
involvement and support in managing a variety of issues.

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