DOI Artikel:
Bieliński, Piotr: The third season of excavations in northeast Syria- 1990
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26389#0101
II. Our information about this layer and its dating in particular was fairly sketchy. To
gain more data, during the 1990 season we opened a larger sounding within the main
step trench. The architectural remains of layer III exposed there consisted of fragments
of two rooms with numerous adjacent floors. What was even more important was the
pottery found in these rooms for it helped solve the question of the dating of layer III.
Like both the lower levels of Layer I and the whole of layer II also layer III turned out
to be of Early Dynastic III date. We were not so lucky with the dating of the lowermost
occupational layer found on Tell Djassa al-Gharbi, i.e. Layer IV. In spite of our efforts
(sounding in the northern part of step trench A-J), this layer did not yield any
diagnostic potsherds which would have allowed us to set a more precise date than the
Early Dynastic period in general.
This last season of excavations was important for a more complete understanding
of the character of the 3ri* millennium B.C. settlements on Tell Djassa al-Gharbi. The
remains discovered in layer II can be considered as particularly interesting. Such
elements as the substantial platform and buildings composed of tightly packed arched
structures are considerably different from the architecture of other later 3ri* millennium
B.C. settlements excavated in this part of Syria. The function of the platform as well as
that of the arched structures will certainly need further clarification. It has to be
noted, however, that similar arched structures have been found on Tell Abu Hadjarat
within the same Hassake Eastern Dam Basin3 * 5 and on Tell ’Atij where a large platform was
also uncovered.'
3 Personal communication by Dr. Antoine Suleiman.
' M. Fortin, Rapport prAliminaire sur la premiere campagne
de fouilles * Tell 'Atij, Syria 65 ( 1988), pp. 139-71; idem,
Rapport pr4liminaire sur la seconde campagne de fouilles & Tell
‘Atij, Syria 67 (1990), pp. 219-250.
99
gain more data, during the 1990 season we opened a larger sounding within the main
step trench. The architectural remains of layer III exposed there consisted of fragments
of two rooms with numerous adjacent floors. What was even more important was the
pottery found in these rooms for it helped solve the question of the dating of layer III.
Like both the lower levels of Layer I and the whole of layer II also layer III turned out
to be of Early Dynastic III date. We were not so lucky with the dating of the lowermost
occupational layer found on Tell Djassa al-Gharbi, i.e. Layer IV. In spite of our efforts
(sounding in the northern part of step trench A-J), this layer did not yield any
diagnostic potsherds which would have allowed us to set a more precise date than the
Early Dynastic period in general.
This last season of excavations was important for a more complete understanding
of the character of the 3ri* millennium B.C. settlements on Tell Djassa al-Gharbi. The
remains discovered in layer II can be considered as particularly interesting. Such
elements as the substantial platform and buildings composed of tightly packed arched
structures are considerably different from the architecture of other later 3ri* millennium
B.C. settlements excavated in this part of Syria. The function of the platform as well as
that of the arched structures will certainly need further clarification. It has to be
noted, however, that similar arched structures have been found on Tell Abu Hadjarat
within the same Hassake Eastern Dam Basin3 * 5 and on Tell ’Atij where a large platform was
also uncovered.'
3 Personal communication by Dr. Antoine Suleiman.
' M. Fortin, Rapport prAliminaire sur la premiere campagne
de fouilles * Tell 'Atij, Syria 65 ( 1988), pp. 139-71; idem,
Rapport pr4liminaire sur la seconde campagne de fouilles & Tell
‘Atij, Syria 67 (1990), pp. 219-250.
99