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#0083
A-l. All of the pits seem to have been rather shallow ana
contained skeletons of adults accompanied by grave goods,
consisting of beads, pots and bronze pins. The richest grave
offerings were discovered in the burial found in Test Trench A-l;
they consisted of six pottery vessels and a bronze knife. The
skeletons were found lying in contracted position on the E-W axis
with heads to the north.
It remains unclear if the thick wall and glacis just described
should be interpreted as the enclosure wall of the whole settlement
or rather as the outer wall of a single architectural complex of
considerable dimensions. The second possibility seems to be more
plausible. It is suggested by the fact that on the westem (inner)
side of the thick wall a fragment of an important building was
discovered. It was a multi-room structure adjoining the thick wall
directly. During the present season four rooms belonging to this
structure were located, probably being only a small fragment of the
whole complex. Some architectural details led us to believe that
the above mentioned rooms and the thick wall belonged to the
same building, but this problem can not be solved without further
investigations. Of the four identified rooms only one has been
nearly completely explored this year (labelled locus 1/A). The
excavated room measured c. 4.9 x 4 m and each of its walls was
reinforced on the inside by a pair of regularly spaced buttresses.
The only door leading to the room was most probably situated in
its southwestem comer. The walls were covered with a thick layer
of white plaster which was renewed at least three times. Room 1/A
must have served as a store as it contained at least ten storage jars
standing along the walls and fixed in place by means of bricks and
plaster. Most of them were covered with a thick layer of white
plaster, also found inside. Beside storage jars there were eleven
other pots in locus 1/A, including small and medium jars as well
as bowls and some Kitchen Ware. The dimensions of this
storeroom, matched by the thickness of the mudbrick wall, lead us
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contained skeletons of adults accompanied by grave goods,
consisting of beads, pots and bronze pins. The richest grave
offerings were discovered in the burial found in Test Trench A-l;
they consisted of six pottery vessels and a bronze knife. The
skeletons were found lying in contracted position on the E-W axis
with heads to the north.
It remains unclear if the thick wall and glacis just described
should be interpreted as the enclosure wall of the whole settlement
or rather as the outer wall of a single architectural complex of
considerable dimensions. The second possibility seems to be more
plausible. It is suggested by the fact that on the westem (inner)
side of the thick wall a fragment of an important building was
discovered. It was a multi-room structure adjoining the thick wall
directly. During the present season four rooms belonging to this
structure were located, probably being only a small fragment of the
whole complex. Some architectural details led us to believe that
the above mentioned rooms and the thick wall belonged to the
same building, but this problem can not be solved without further
investigations. Of the four identified rooms only one has been
nearly completely explored this year (labelled locus 1/A). The
excavated room measured c. 4.9 x 4 m and each of its walls was
reinforced on the inside by a pair of regularly spaced buttresses.
The only door leading to the room was most probably situated in
its southwestem comer. The walls were covered with a thick layer
of white plaster which was renewed at least three times. Room 1/A
must have served as a store as it contained at least ten storage jars
standing along the walls and fixed in place by means of bricks and
plaster. Most of them were covered with a thick layer of white
plaster, also found inside. Beside storage jars there were eleven
other pots in locus 1/A, including small and medium jars as well
as bowls and some Kitchen Ware. The dimensions of this
storeroom, matched by the thickness of the mudbrick wall, lead us
81