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Tell es-Sawwan

April 17, 2024

Tell es-Sawwan is an important Samarran period archaeological site in Saladin Province, Iraq. It is located 110 kilometres (68 mi) north of Baghdad, and south of Samarra. It lies on a 12 meter high cliff overlooking the Tigris River.

Tell es Sawwan
Shown within Iraq
LocationSaladin Province, Iraq
Coordinates34°07′16″N 43°54′18″E / 34.12111°N 43.90500°E / 34.12111; 43.90500
Typesettlement
History
Founded5th millennium BC
PeriodsUbaid, Hassuna, and Samarra culture
Site notes
Excavation dates1964-1971
ArchaeologistsBehnam Abu Al-Soof. Khalid Ahmad Al-a'dami, Walid Yasin
ConditionRuined
OwnershipPublic
Public accessYes

The site is a primarily Ubaid, Hassuna, and Samarra culture occupation with some later Babylonian graves. It is considered the type site for the Samarran culture.[1]

History edit

The inhabitants of Tell es-Sawwan were farmers who used irrigation from the Tigris to support their crops, as rainfall was unreliable. They used stone and flint tools similar to those of the Hassuna culture. Their prosperity, probably based on the dependability of irrigated crops, is evidenced by the presence of fine Samarran ware and beautiful, translucent marble vessels.

Underfloor graves of adults and children contained terracotta and alabaster statuettes of women and men, in various poses; some of these had the eyes and pointed heads typical of the Ubaid period.[2]

Archaeology edit

Tell es-Sawwan is an oval mound 350 metres (1,150 ft) long by 150 metres (490 ft) wide with a maximum height of 3.5 metres (11 ft). It consists of three tells, labeled A, B, and C aligned from north to south. Some of the western portion of the site has been lost to river erosion. The main mound was surrounded by a three-meter defensive ditch and a strong mudbrick wall. The neolithic village, on mounds B and C, consisted of large mudbrick houses and other buildings thought to be granaries. There were five occupation layers.[3] Among the finds were 77 neolithic clay tokens.[4] A number of clay sling bullets were also found, by a ditch and wall the excavators termed defensive in nature. The ditch was radiocarbon dated to 5730 ± 75 B.C.[5]

Tell es-Sawwan was first noted by Ernst Herzfeld in 1930 while working at Samarra.[6] The site was excavated by a team from the Iraqi Directorate General of Antiquities in seven seasons between 1964 and 1971. The first, third, and fourth seasons were directed by Behnam Abu Al-Soof, the second season by Khalid Ahmad Al-a'dami and the sixth and seventh season by Walid Yasin.[7][8][9][10][11][12] Donny George Youkana worked briefly at the site in 1985.[13] In 1988 and 1989 further excavations were conducted by C. Breniquet for the Delegation Archeologique Francaise en IraK.[14][15][16]

Gallery edit

  •  
    Female figurine from Tell es-Sawwan, Louvre Museum
  •  
    Mother goddess from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq, 6000-5800 BCE. Iraq Museum
  •  
    Mother goddess figurine from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq, 6000-5800 BCE. Iraq Museum
  •  
    Alabaster jar with a necklace from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq. 6000-5800 BCE. Iraq Museum
  •  
    Bowl with human bones from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq, 6000-5800 BCE. Iraq Museum

See also edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tell es-Sawwan.

References edit

  1. ^ [1] Charles Keith Maisels, "Early Civilizations of the Old World: The Formative Histories of Egypt, The Levant, Mesopotamia, India and China", Routledge, 2001 ISBN 978-0415109765
  2. ^ Oates, Joan, "The Baked Clay Figurines from Tell Es-Sawwan", Iraq, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 146–53, 1966
  3. ^ Helwing, Barbara, "Reconsidering the Neolithic Graveyard at Tell Es-Sawwan, Iraq", Paléorient, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 123–36, 2016
  4. ^ Overmann, Karenleigh A., "CHAPTER 9. THE NEOLITHIC CLAY TOKENS", in The Material Origin of Numbers: Insights from the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Piscataway, NJ, USA: Gorgias Press, pp. 157-178, 2019
  5. ^ Roper, Marilyn Keyes, "Evidence of Warfare in the Near East from 10,000-4,300 B.C.", in War, its Causes and Correlates, edited by Martin A. Nettleship and Dale Givens, Berlin, New York: De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 299-344, 1975
  6. ^ Herzfeld E., "Die Ausgrabungen von Samarra 5. Die vorgeschichtlichen Töpfereien von Samarra", Berlin: Reim, 1930
  7. ^ [2] F. el-Wailly and B. Abu Al-Soof, "The Excavations at Tell es-Sawwan: First Preliminary Report (1964)", Sumer , vol. 21, pp. 17-32, 1965
  8. ^ Khalid Ahmad Al-a'dami, "Excavations at Tell es-Sawwan (Second Season)", Sumer, vol. 24, pp. 57-95, 1968
  9. ^ Ghanim Wahida, "Excavations at Tell es-Sawwan (Third Season) 1966", Sumer, vol. 23, pp. 167-178, 1967
  10. ^ [3] Behnam Abu Al-souf, "Tell es-Sawwan: Excavation of the Fourth Season (Spring 1967)", Sumer, vol. 24, pp. 3-15, 1968
  11. ^ [4] Behnam Abu Al-soof, "Tell es-Sawwan: Fifth Seasons Excavations (Winter 1967, 1968)", Sumer, vol. 27, pp. 3-7, 1971
  12. ^ Walid Yasin, "Excavation at Tell es-Sawwan - the Sixth Season (1969)", Sumer, vol. 26, pp. 3-20, 1970
  13. ^ Donny George Youkana, "Tell Es-Sawwan: The Architecture of the Sixth Millennium BC", NABU, 1997, ASIN B001AC6TMA ISBN 978-1-897750-05-6
  14. ^ "Excavations in Iraq 1987-88", Iraq, vol. 51, pp. 249–65, 1989
  15. ^ "Excavations in Iraq 1989-1990", Iraq, vol. 53, pp. 169–82, 1991
  16. ^ C. Breniquet, Rapport sur deux campagnes de fouilles à Tell es-Sawwan, 1988–1989, Mesopotamia, vol. 27, pp. 5–30, 1992

Further reading edit

  • Abdul Qadir al-Tekriti, The Flint and Obsidian Implements of Tell es-Sawwan, Sumer, vol. 24, pp. 53–36, 1968
  • Catherine Breniquet, "Tell Es-Sawwan: Realites et Problemes", Iraq, vol. 53, pp. 75–90, 1991
  • [5] Breniquet, Catherine, "Tell Es-Sawwan, Irak. Essai de Synthèse et de Prospective Sur La Néolithisation de La Plaine Mésopotamienne", Paléorient, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 137–49, 2016
  • Connan, J. and Deschesne, O., "Origine et alteration de quelques bitumes archaeologiques de tell Es-Sawwan (5500-5000 av. J.C.)", Mesopotamia 27, pp. 47–61, 1992
  • Connan, J., D. Dessort, and O. Deschesne, "A model of highly weathered oil seepages: the bitumens of Tell Es-Sawwan in Iraq", Bulletin des Centres de Recherches, Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine;(France) 16.1, pp. 33–53, 1992
  • Coqueugniot, E., "Tell Es-Sawwan (1988-1989): Note concernant les outils de Pierre Taillee", Mesopotamia 27, pp. 31–46, 1991
  • Ducos, P., "La faune de Tell Es-Sawwan (1988-1989)", Mesopotamia 27, pp. 63–70, 1992
  • Keith Flannery and Jane C. Wheeler, Animal Bones From Tell as-Sawwan Level III (Samaran Period), Sumer, vol. 23, pp. 179–182, 1967
  • H Helbaek, Early Hassunan vegetable food at Tell es-Sawwan near Samarra, Sumer, vol. 20, 1966
  • Ippolitoni F., "The pottery of Tell es-Sawwan - First season", Mesopotamia V-VI, pp. 105–179, 1970–71
  • Joan Oates, The Baked Clay Figurines from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 146–153, 1966
  • Qaddoori, Waleed Khalid, Badawi Mohamed Ismail, and Mahmoud Abdel Hafez Adam, "Study the Risks Affecting Adobe Buildings in Tell Es-Sawwan, Iraq, and Methods of Restoration and Reinforcement", Al Malweah for Archaeological and Historical studies 7.21, pp. 105–142,2020
  • F. Strika, Clay human figurines with applied decoration from Tell Es-Sawwan, Mesopotamia, vol. 33, pp. 7–21, 1998
  • Strika, Fiorella Ippolitoni, "W-like signs on pottery, anthropomorphic vessels and on seals: Pre-writing at Tell es-Sawwan", Rivista Degli Studi Orientali, vol. 72, no. 1/4, pp. 1–10, 1998

April 17, 2024
tell, sawwan, important, samarran, period, archaeological, site, saladin, province, iraq, located, kilometres, north, baghdad, south, samarra, lies, meter, high, cliff, overlooking, tigris, river, tell, sawwanshown, within, iraqlocationsaladin, province, iraqc. Tell es Sawwan is an important Samarran period archaeological site in Saladin Province Iraq It is located 110 kilometres 68 mi north of Baghdad and south of Samarra It lies on a 12 meter high cliff overlooking the Tigris River Tell es SawwanShown within IraqLocationSaladin Province IraqCoordinates34 07 16 N 43 54 18 E 34 12111 N 43 90500 E 34 12111 43 90500TypesettlementHistoryFounded5th millennium BCPeriodsUbaid Hassuna and Samarra cultureSite notesExcavation dates1964 1971ArchaeologistsBehnam Abu Al Soof Khalid Ahmad Al a dami Walid YasinConditionRuinedOwnershipPublicPublic accessYesThe site is a primarily Ubaid Hassuna and Samarra culture occupation with some later Babylonian graves It is considered the type site for the Samarran culture 1 Contents 1 History 2 Archaeology 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingHistory editThe inhabitants of Tell es Sawwan were farmers who used irrigation from the Tigris to support their crops as rainfall was unreliable They used stone and flint tools similar to those of the Hassuna culture Their prosperity probably based on the dependability of irrigated crops is evidenced by the presence of fine Samarran ware and beautiful translucent marble vessels Underfloor graves of adults and children contained terracotta and alabaster statuettes of women and men in various poses some of these had the eyes and pointed heads typical of the Ubaid period 2 Archaeology editTell es Sawwan is an oval mound 350 metres 1 150 ft long by 150 metres 490 ft wide with a maximum height of 3 5 metres 11 ft It consists of three tells labeled A B and C aligned from north to south Some of the western portion of the site has been lost to river erosion The main mound was surrounded by a three meter defensive ditch and a strong mudbrick wall The neolithic village on mounds B and C consisted of large mudbrick houses and other buildings thought to be granaries There were five occupation layers 3 Among the finds were 77 neolithic clay tokens 4 A number of clay sling bullets were also found by a ditch and wall the excavators termed defensive in nature The ditch was radiocarbon dated to 5730 75 B C 5 Tell es Sawwan was first noted by Ernst Herzfeld in 1930 while working at Samarra 6 The site was excavated by a team from the Iraqi Directorate General of Antiquities in seven seasons between 1964 and 1971 The first third and fourth seasons were directed by Behnam Abu Al Soof the second season by Khalid Ahmad Al a dami and the sixth and seventh season by Walid Yasin 7 8 9 10 11 12 Donny George Youkana worked briefly at the site in 1985 13 In 1988 and 1989 further excavations were conducted by C Breniquet for the Delegation Archeologique Francaise en IraK 14 15 16 Gallery edit nbsp Female figurine from Tell es Sawwan Louvre Museum nbsp Mother goddess from Tell es Sawwan Iraq 6000 5800 BCE Iraq Museum nbsp Mother goddess figurine from Tell es Sawwan Iraq 6000 5800 BCE Iraq Museum nbsp Alabaster jar with a necklace from Tell es Sawwan Iraq 6000 5800 BCE Iraq Museum nbsp Bowl with human bones from Tell es Sawwan Iraq 6000 5800 BCE Iraq MuseumSee also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tell es Sawwan Cities of the ancient Near East nbsp Asia portalReferences edit 1 Charles Keith Maisels Early Civilizations of the Old World The Formative Histories of Egypt The Levant Mesopotamia India and China Routledge 2001 ISBN 978 0415109765 Oates Joan The Baked Clay Figurines from Tell Es Sawwan Iraq vol 28 no 2 pp 146 53 1966 Helwing Barbara Reconsidering the Neolithic Graveyard at Tell Es Sawwan Iraq Paleorient vol 42 no 1 pp 123 36 2016 Overmann Karenleigh A CHAPTER 9 THE NEOLITHIC CLAY TOKENS in The Material Origin of Numbers Insights from the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East Piscataway NJ USA Gorgias Press pp 157 178 2019 Roper Marilyn Keyes Evidence of Warfare in the Near East from 10 000 4 300 B C in War its Causes and Correlates edited by Martin A Nettleship and Dale Givens Berlin New York De Gruyter Mouton pp 299 344 1975 Herzfeld E Die Ausgrabungen von Samarra 5 Die vorgeschichtlichen Topfereien von Samarra Berlin Reim 1930 2 F el Wailly and B Abu Al Soof The Excavations at Tell es Sawwan First Preliminary Report 1964 Sumer vol 21 pp 17 32 1965 Khalid Ahmad Al a dami Excavations at Tell es Sawwan Second Season Sumer vol 24 pp 57 95 1968 Ghanim Wahida Excavations at Tell es Sawwan Third Season 1966 Sumer vol 23 pp 167 178 1967 3 Behnam Abu Al souf Tell es Sawwan Excavation of the Fourth Season Spring 1967 Sumer vol 24 pp 3 15 1968 4 Behnam Abu Al soof Tell es Sawwan Fifth Seasons Excavations Winter 1967 1968 Sumer vol 27 pp 3 7 1971 Walid Yasin Excavation at Tell es Sawwan the Sixth Season 1969 Sumer vol 26 pp 3 20 1970 Donny George Youkana Tell Es Sawwan The Architecture of the Sixth Millennium BC NABU 1997 ASIN B001AC6TMA ISBN 978 1 897750 05 6 Excavations in Iraq 1987 88 Iraq vol 51 pp 249 65 1989 Excavations in Iraq 1989 1990 Iraq vol 53 pp 169 82 1991 C Breniquet Rapport sur deux campagnes de fouilles a Tell es Sawwan 1988 1989 Mesopotamia vol 27 pp 5 30 1992Further reading editAbdul Qadir al Tekriti The Flint and Obsidian Implements of Tell es Sawwan Sumer vol 24 pp 53 36 1968 Catherine Breniquet Tell Es Sawwan Realites et Problemes Iraq vol 53 pp 75 90 1991 5 Breniquet Catherine Tell Es Sawwan Irak Essai de Synthese et de Prospective Sur La Neolithisation de La Plaine Mesopotamienne Paleorient vol 42 no 1 pp 137 49 2016 Connan J and Deschesne O Origine et alteration de quelques bitumes archaeologiques de tell Es Sawwan 5500 5000 av J C Mesopotamia 27 pp 47 61 1992 Connan J D Dessort and O Deschesne A model of highly weathered oil seepages the bitumens of Tell Es Sawwan in Iraq Bulletin des Centres de Recherches Exploration Production Elf Aquitaine France 16 1 pp 33 53 1992 Coqueugniot E Tell Es Sawwan 1988 1989 Note concernant les outils de Pierre Taillee Mesopotamia 27 pp 31 46 1991 Ducos P La faune de Tell Es Sawwan 1988 1989 Mesopotamia 27 pp 63 70 1992 Keith Flannery and Jane C Wheeler Animal Bones From Tell as Sawwan Level III Samaran Period Sumer vol 23 pp 179 182 1967 H Helbaek Early Hassunan vegetable food at Tell es Sawwan near Samarra Sumer vol 20 1966 Ippolitoni F The pottery of Tell es Sawwan First season Mesopotamia V VI pp 105 179 1970 71 Joan Oates The Baked Clay Figurines from Tell es Sawwan Iraq vol 28 no 2 pp 146 153 1966 Qaddoori Waleed Khalid Badawi Mohamed Ismail and Mahmoud Abdel Hafez Adam Study the Risks Affecting Adobe Buildings in Tell Es Sawwan Iraq and Methods of Restoration and Reinforcement Al Malweah for Archaeological and Historical studies 7 21 pp 105 142 2020 F Strika Clay human figurines with applied decoration from Tell Es Sawwan Mesopotamia vol 33 pp 7 21 1998 Strika Fiorella Ippolitoni W like signs on pottery anthropomorphic vessels and on seals Pre writing at Tell es Sawwan Rivista Degli Studi Orientali vol 72 no 1 4 pp 1 10 1998 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tell es Sawwan amp oldid 1207517567, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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