DOI article:
Bieliński, Piotr: The first campaign of excavations on Tell Rad Shaqrah (Hasake Southern Dam Basin)
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26426#0079
THE FIRST CAMPAIGN OF EXCAVATIONS ON TELL
RAD SHAQRAH (HASAKE SOUTHERN DAM BASIN)
by Piotr Bielinski
Since 1988 the Polish Centre has parficipated in the
intemational salvage programme in the Hasake dams area. We
have excavated two sites there: Tell Abu Hafur and Tell Djassa al-
Gharbi, both situated within the Hasake Eastem Dam Area. 1 At the
end of 1990 our investigations were stopped due to the completion
of the Hasake Eastem Dam and the filling of the lake with water.
When in 1991 the decision was made to continue Polish
participation in the Hasake Dam Salvage Project, a new site for
exploration had to be chosen within the Hasake Southem Dam
Basin.
With this goal in view our team arrived in Syria in the
beginning of September 1991. After surveying several sites, we
selected a mound called Tell Rad Shaqrah as the object of our
further research. This oval mound is situated on the eastem bank
of the Khabur river, some 15 km south-east of Hasake. The tell
which is partly covered by a modem village measures c. 140 x 120
m and is about 8 m high, its top rising more than 305 m above sea
level. The northem, westem and southem slopes of the tell are
considerably devastated by modem water canals bringing water
from the river about 80 m distant.
A preliminary survey of the mound’s surface provided
evidence mainly of a IIF d millennium B.C. occupation, as the
overwhelming majority of collected potsherds were Early Dynastic.
The few sherds representing later periods were predominantly Neo-
1 See P. Bielinski, Polish Excavations in North-East Syria 1988-89, PAMI, (1988-
89), 1990, pp. 17-25; id., The Third Season of Excavations in Northeastem Syria -
1990, PAM n, (1989-90), 1991, pp. 94-101.
77
RAD SHAQRAH (HASAKE SOUTHERN DAM BASIN)
by Piotr Bielinski
Since 1988 the Polish Centre has parficipated in the
intemational salvage programme in the Hasake dams area. We
have excavated two sites there: Tell Abu Hafur and Tell Djassa al-
Gharbi, both situated within the Hasake Eastem Dam Area. 1 At the
end of 1990 our investigations were stopped due to the completion
of the Hasake Eastem Dam and the filling of the lake with water.
When in 1991 the decision was made to continue Polish
participation in the Hasake Dam Salvage Project, a new site for
exploration had to be chosen within the Hasake Southem Dam
Basin.
With this goal in view our team arrived in Syria in the
beginning of September 1991. After surveying several sites, we
selected a mound called Tell Rad Shaqrah as the object of our
further research. This oval mound is situated on the eastem bank
of the Khabur river, some 15 km south-east of Hasake. The tell
which is partly covered by a modem village measures c. 140 x 120
m and is about 8 m high, its top rising more than 305 m above sea
level. The northem, westem and southem slopes of the tell are
considerably devastated by modem water canals bringing water
from the river about 80 m distant.
A preliminary survey of the mound’s surface provided
evidence mainly of a IIF d millennium B.C. occupation, as the
overwhelming majority of collected potsherds were Early Dynastic.
The few sherds representing later periods were predominantly Neo-
1 See P. Bielinski, Polish Excavations in North-East Syria 1988-89, PAMI, (1988-
89), 1990, pp. 17-25; id., The Third Season of Excavations in Northeastem Syria -
1990, PAM n, (1989-90), 1991, pp. 94-101.
77