Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (15.2003(2004))

TELL ARBID

SYRIA

dealing with a huge platform rather than
a wall and certainly not a floor.
The massive construction, built of good
quality mud bricks (measuring 32 x
24 cm), was at least 13 m long and over
8 m wide. It consisted of at least seven
adjoining, although separately built
segments of different length, all about
1.2 m wide (Figs. 2, 3). The best preserved
segment, situated next to the kitchen area
belonging to the “Public Building”, was
over 2 m high. The foundations of suc-
cessive segments suggest beyond any doubt
AREA “SD” - EASTERN
Even more data on the 3rd millennium BC
urban center on Tell Arbid was provided
by the dig carried out in the bottom part of
the eastern slope of the citadel. This part of
area “SD” was investigated already in 1998
and 1999, when a considerable sector of
well preserved domestic architecture of the

that the platform had been erected on an
inclined slope falling away to the southeast.
This indicates that it was a revetment
structure, likely raised earlier than the
“Public Building”, perhaps even before the
building that was its direct predecessor
(“Older Building”). Proof of this dating
was provided by a burial (Gl-38/56)
discovered by one of the walls of the
platform; the pit for the burial was dug
already when the platform was standing.
The grave goods included two broken Early
Ninevite 5 vessels with incised decoration.
SLOPE OF THE CITADEL
3rd millennium BC was uncovered,
including houses of the Late ED III and
Early Akkadian periods (Early Jezireh Illb
and IVa)T Work was now continued in
square 36/65 and in three new trenches
opened in squares: 35/64, 35/65 and 36/64
(total excavated area 350 m2).


Fig. 4. Grave goods from burial G3-35164 in area “SD”
(Photo A. Oleksiak)
2) See PAM X, Reports 1998 (1999), 213; PAM XI, Reports 1999 (2000), 281-284.

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