Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

TELL QARAMEL

SYRIA

TELL QARAMEL
EXCAVATIONS 2007

Ryszard F. Mazurowski

The ninth season of excavations at Qaramel lastedfrom April 4 to May 18, 2007. The
Syro-Polish Archaeological Mission was a continuation of the joint undertaking of the
Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw and the
Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums of Syria, partly financed by the
Institute of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw.1
The main goal of this season was the final exploration of the deepest layers with
traces of occupation from the Proto-Neolithic, or transitional, horizon to the very Early
Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) (in squares J-8b,d, J-7b,d and K-7). In this area, four
rounded towers had been discovered and some architectural elements of a possible fifth
tower were observed in the last days of the 2006 season. Another priority was the
exploration of the southernmost square (K-3/L-3A), where the oldest layer on the site
with a house dug into culturally sterile soil had been found in the previous season
[Fig. 1 ]. The continuation of excavations in squares LA and L-4/M-4 aimed at
verifying the presence oj occupation from the final stage of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic
settlement. There had been some indications that at that time the settlement had been
located a littlefarther to the south than during previous stages, which would explain why
in squares J-8, J-7, K-7 and K-6, situated farther to the north, no material or structures
typical of the final PPN horizon coidd be found.

1 We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Bassam Jammous, Director General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria,
and Dr. Michael Al-Maqdissi, Director of the Excavations Department in DGAM Damascus for their hospitality,
continuous help and kindness. Words of thanks are addressed also to the staff of the Regional Directorate of Antiquities
and Museums in Aleppo and in particular to its Director, Dr. Nadim Fakesh.
The mission was co-directed by Ryszard F. Mazurowski (photographic documentation, ground and pecked stone finds),
and Youssef Kanjou (processing of human bones). On the Polish side, the staff included: archaeologists Marcin
Bialowarczuk (supervision of squares J-7 and K-7; special finds registrar), Andrzej Gackowski, Joanna Gawronska
(supervision of squares L-4/M-4; general registrar), Artur Grabarek (supervision of square L-5), Piotr Karczmarek
(chipped <flint> industry finds, flotation of paleobotanical samples), Tomasz Kowalski, Bartlomiej Paprocki, Julita
Wojciechowska; documentalist Katarzyna Odya; and archaeozoologist Anna Gr^zak. The Syrian part of the Mission
included Qaies Abbout Gorge and Abdalla Aref Nasser.

Polish Archaeology in che Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007

565