Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

TELL QARAMEL

SYRIA

TELL QARAMEL
EXCAVATIONS 2005
Ryszard F. Mazurowski

The chief objective of the seventh season of excavations at Tell Qaramel, which took place from
7 September to 20 October 2005,1 was to continue with the exploration of the early aceramic
layers (C1^ non-calibrated dating - 8650-7700 be) representing the so-called Pre-Pottery
Neolithic A (PPNA) horizon in traditional terminology. Fieldwork was concentrated in
three squares located on the lowest part of the southern slope of the tell (J-8, J-7/K-7 and
K-3/4-L-3/4 {Fig. 1). In square K-3/4-L-3/4, levels belonging to the older cultural
tradition provisionally referred to as the Proto-Qaramelian horizon (representing the Proto-
Neolithic) were explored. The main focus, however, was laid on the two Early PPNA towers
and their immediate neighborhood uncovered in trenches J-8, J-7IK-7; the older of the two
appears to have been destroyed by fire about 8350 be (non-calibrated).

1 As in previous years, the Syrian-Polish Archaeological Mission was a joint undertaking of the Polish Centre of
Mediterranean Archaeology of Warsaw University and the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums of Syria,
partly financed by the Institute of Archaeology of Warsaw University. We would like to express our gratitude to
Dr. Bassam Jamous, Director General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, and Dr. Michel al-Maqdissi, DGAM
Excavations Department Director, Damascus, for their continuous help, kindness and hospitality. A special thanks to
the staff of the Regional Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in Aleppo and its Director Dr. Nadim Fakesh.
The mission was co-directed by Prof. Dr. Ryszard F. Mazurowski and Eng. Yusef Dabti. On the Polish side, the
staff included: Mr. Marcin Bialowarczuk (registrar; trench supervisor in squares J-7 and K-7); Mrs. Joanna Gawronska
(registrar, trench supervisor in K-3/4 and L-3/4); Mr. Artur Grabarek (supervisor in K-3/4 and L-3/4); Mr. Piotr
Karczmarek (flint objects); Ms Katarzyna Krzesniak, Ms Renata Maskowicz (documentalists); and Mr. Bartlomiej
Paprocki (preliminary processing of animal bones). Prof. Mazurowski classified the stone finds and was responsible for
the photographic documentation. The Syrian team members included Messrs Basel Bedran, Sbahi Fahd, Mohammad
Noor Happak and Shiraz Kurdi, students of Aleppo University.
Dr. George Willcox, paleobotamst from Archeorient Maison de l'Orient Mediterraneen, CNRS UMR 5133,
Lyon, joined us for a week to examine soil samples for organic remnants. Prof. Dr. Jean-Denis Vigne from the National
Museum of Natural History in Paris visited for a day to take samples of animal bones from PPNA levels for DNA
analysis of the early domesticates.

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