TELL
AL-FAKHAR
![](tellalfakhar.jpg)
Tell
al-Fakhar shown within Iraq
Alternative
name :
Kuruhanni (?)
Location
: Iraq
Region
:
Kirkuk Governorate
Coordinates
: 35.381° N 43.978° E
Type
: tell
Length
: 200 metres (660 ft)
Width
: 135 metres (443 ft)
Height
: 4.5 metres (15 ft)
History
:
Periods
:
Mitanni / Kassite, Neo-Assyrian
Site
notes :
Excavation
dates : 1967 - 1969
Archaeologists
: Y.M. al-Khalesi
Tell
al-Fakhar ("Pottery Mound") is a tell, or archaeological
settlement mound, in Kirkuk Governorate, northeastern Iraq. Excavations
were carried out at the site between 1967 and 1969 by the Directorate-General
of Antiquities of Iraq. The site measures 200 by 135 metres (656
by 443 ft) and is 4.5 metres (15 ft) high. Excavations revealed
two occupation phases that were dated to the Mitanni/Kassite and
Neo-Assyrian periods, or mid-second and early-first millennia BCE.
The mid-second millennium phase consisted of a large building, dubbed
the "Green Palace", where an archive of circa 800 clay
tablets was found.
History
of research :
The site was excavated by the Directorate-General of Antiquities
of Iraq under the direction of Yasin Mahmoud al-Khalesi during one
season in the winter of 1967–1968 lasting from 22 October
to 27 January. The excavation was prompted by the fact that the
site was threatened by the development of an irrigation project
in the region and because illegal digging activities had been carried
out there, after which children had found clay tablets on the surface
of the mound. A second season was carried out in 1969.
The
site and its environment :
The mound measures 200 by 135 metres (656 by 443 ft) and is 4.5
metres (15 ft) high. It is located in an area where rainfed agriculture
is possible and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the site is a wadi
that carries water during the winter. There are numerous other tells
in the region that show evidence for occupation from prehistoric
periods up to the Islamic era. The important and contemporary site
of Yorgan Tepe, ancient Nuzi, is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) east
of Tell al-Fakhar.
Occupation
history :
The excavation revealed two main occupation phases, termed Stratum
I and II. In the oldest phase, Stratum II, a large structure with
at least 17 rooms was uncovered. The walls had been plastered up
to six times and the plaster was covered with green paint, hence
the building was dubbed the "Green Palace". Based on architectural
details such as the presence of drains and toilets, and the size
of the different rooms, the building was divided in a private and
public wing. In the public wing was a large room with benches along
the walls that has been interpreted as a "reception hall"
where the ruler could receive his guests. In front of the building
was a large terrace paved with mudbricks.
At
least 34 skeletons were found in the palace. The majority were located
in 2 rooms and were associated with arrowheads and pieces of armour,
suggesting that they died a violent death while defending the palace.
This is also indicated by the fact that several doorways in the
palace had been blocked, and that the palace was destroyed by a
conflagration, as indicated by the burned walls and thick ash deposits
on the floors. An archive of circa 800 clay tablets was found in
the Green Palace, many of them also bearing seal impressions. Because
the tablets were found in all of the rooms of the palace, it has
been suggested that the archive was scattered during the pillaging
of the building. Other finds included pottery, gold and silver adornments,
bronze armour scales, copper leaf-shaped spear and arrowheads, glazed
and glass bottles and cylinder seals.
After
the end of Stratum II, the site was abandoned for some time. The
next occupation phase, Stratum I, was badly preserved. Parts of
three different structures were excavated, but the walls were only
preserved up to a height of three or four rows of mudbricks. In
one building with rooms grouped around a courtyard, several kilns
were found but their purpose is unclear. In the second building,
two ovens were found while one room in the third contained a basin
built of baked mudbricks. Except for pottery, no other finds were
recorded from this occupation phase.
Strata
II and I are dated to the Mitanni/Kassite and Neo-Assyrian periods,
or mid-second and early first millennia BCE, respectively. The proposed
ancient name of Tell al-Fakhar is Kuruhanni.
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Tell_al-Fakhar