Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

TELL QARAMEL

SYRIA

TELL QARAMEL
EXCAVATIONS 2004
Ryszard F. Mazurowski

During the sixth season of excavations at Tell Qaramel, which took place between September
2 and October 21, 2004,1 the exploration of the Early Aceramic settlement was continued.
In traditional terminology, this represents the so-called Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA)
horizon (non-calibrated C14 dates 8650-7700 BC). Field activities were concentrated on
the lower part of the southern slope of the tell (for a contour map of the site, see PAM XV,
Reports 2003 (2004), 356). Square K-7 (trench supervisors M. Bialowarczuk and
K. Januszek) is the location of the site's most important structures, the two towers, the older
one of which has been dated to about 8350 BP (non-calibrated). The other excavated area
was in squares K-3 b, K-4 b,d, L-3 a, L-4 a,c, situated in the lowest southern part of the
tell, south and southeast of K-5 b,d (supervisors J. Gawronska and A. Grabarek).
In an effort to determine the position of the aceramic settlement and the mound with
regard to the river terraces and bed, a geomorphologic cross-section of the Qoueiq valley was
carried out (M. Chacihska and M. Przezdziecki).
Paleobotanists Dr. George Willcox and Mrs. Sandra Fornite from Archeorient, Maison
de /'Orient Mediterraneen, CNRS UMR 5133, Lyon, kindly joined the team for two weeks
in order to examine by flotation (with the assistance of P. Karczmarek) soil samples taken
from the site.

1 The Syrian-Polish Archaeological Mission continues to be run jointly by the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology
of Warsaw University and the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums of Syria, with partial funding from the
Institute of Archaeology of Warsaw University. We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Tammam Fakouch, then
Director General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, and Dr. Michel al-Maqdissi, Director of Excavations, Damascus,
for their continuous help and kindness. Special words of thanks to the staff of the Regional Directorate of Antiquities and
Museums in Aleppo and its Director, Dr. Nadim Fakesh.
Prof. Dr. Ryszard F. Mazurowski (stone objects analysis and stratigraphy) and Dr. Joussef Kanjou (human bones
examination) co-directed a team composed of, on the Polish side, Mr. Marcin Bialowarczuk (trench supervisor, special finds
register), Ms Malgorzata Chacihska (faunal material), Mrs. Joanna Gawronska (trench supervisor, general finds register),
Mr. Artur Grabarek (trench supervisor), Mrs. Ewa Hander, Ms Katarzyna Januszek (field documentation register),
Mr. Piotr Karczmarek (flint object processing), Mr. Michal Przezdziecki (flint object processing) and Mrs. Malgorzata
Grzegorzewska, archaeology students from Warsaw University's Institute of Archaeology.

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