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#0082
In trench A remains of a large structure were uncovered. A
fragment of a substantial mudbrick wall was identified running
from NNW to SSE. The part of it exposed within the limits of
trench A was over 8 m long. The wall, constructed of mudbricks
of two different sizes, was c. 3.9 m wide and preserved to a height
of about 3.8 m. (Fig. 1). It was erected on a foundation of basalt
boulders. Since the base of these foundations was not reached, all
that can be said is that they were at least 1.6 m deep. On its
eastem, outer side the above described wall was reinforced by a
steep glacis made of clay, broken mudbricks and basalt boulders.
This glacis was in itself a carefully built structure. Its outer face
was made up of a number of layers of tightly packed stone
boulders. At the lowest level reached this year in trench A the
glacis was at least 4.4 m wide. It protected the mudbrick wall to
a height of about 5 m. In a later stage the glacis was additionally
covered with a new layer of clay and stones, 1.2 m thick.
Another fragment of the same glacis was exposed in Test
Trench A-l, some 15 m further to the north, where, most probably,
the northeastem comer of the structure was situated, as suggested
by the form of the glacis in this place. It means that this mudbrick
wall and stone glacis were at least 24 m long. The scanty ceramic
material retrieved from between the bricks of the wall as well as
potsherds from the fill of the glacis all belonged to the Early
Dynastic period II/III, conclusively indicating a date for the whole
stmcture. It would seem that both elements were constructed at the
same time, for the space between the boulders in the foundation of
the wall was not filled with sand - this being possible only if they
had been sealed by the glacis immediately after the construction of
the wall. The span of time between the construction of the wall
and the new layer of the glacis remains unclear. It is noteworthy
that some IIF 1 millennium pit burials were dug into the outer face
of the glacis. Two such burials and part of another one were
discovered in trench A, while the fourth was found in Test Trench
80
fragment of a substantial mudbrick wall was identified running
from NNW to SSE. The part of it exposed within the limits of
trench A was over 8 m long. The wall, constructed of mudbricks
of two different sizes, was c. 3.9 m wide and preserved to a height
of about 3.8 m. (Fig. 1). It was erected on a foundation of basalt
boulders. Since the base of these foundations was not reached, all
that can be said is that they were at least 1.6 m deep. On its
eastem, outer side the above described wall was reinforced by a
steep glacis made of clay, broken mudbricks and basalt boulders.
This glacis was in itself a carefully built structure. Its outer face
was made up of a number of layers of tightly packed stone
boulders. At the lowest level reached this year in trench A the
glacis was at least 4.4 m wide. It protected the mudbrick wall to
a height of about 5 m. In a later stage the glacis was additionally
covered with a new layer of clay and stones, 1.2 m thick.
Another fragment of the same glacis was exposed in Test
Trench A-l, some 15 m further to the north, where, most probably,
the northeastem comer of the structure was situated, as suggested
by the form of the glacis in this place. It means that this mudbrick
wall and stone glacis were at least 24 m long. The scanty ceramic
material retrieved from between the bricks of the wall as well as
potsherds from the fill of the glacis all belonged to the Early
Dynastic period II/III, conclusively indicating a date for the whole
stmcture. It would seem that both elements were constructed at the
same time, for the space between the boulders in the foundation of
the wall was not filled with sand - this being possible only if they
had been sealed by the glacis immediately after the construction of
the wall. The span of time between the construction of the wall
and the new layer of the glacis remains unclear. It is noteworthy
that some IIF 1 millennium pit burials were dug into the outer face
of the glacis. Two such burials and part of another one were
discovered in trench A, while the fourth was found in Test Trench
80