TELL
EL-'OUEILI
![](telleloueili.jpg)
Tell
el-'Oueili shown within Iraq
Location
: Iraq
Region
:
Dhi Qar Governorate
Coordinates
:
31.243° N 45.885° E
Type
:
Settlement
Length
:
200 metres (660 ft)
Height
:
5 metres (16 ft)
History
:
Founded :
6500-5400 BCE
Abandoned
:
Before 3000 BCE
Periods
:
Ubaid
Site
notes :
Excavation
dates :
1976, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989
Archaeologists
:
A. Parrot. J.-L. Huot
Tell
el-'Oueili is a tell, or ancient settlement mound, located in Dhi
Qar Governorate, southern Iraq. The site was excavated between 1976
and 1989 by French archaeologists under the direction of Jean-Louis
Huot. The excavations have revealed occupation layers predating
those of Eridu, making Tell el-'Oueili the earliest known human
settlement in southern Mesopotamia.
History
of research :
The site was first noted and surveyed by French scholar André
Parrot, who at the time was working at nearby Larsa. Two small excavation
seasons took place in 1976 and 1978, and regular excavations commenced
in 1981. Four more seasons took place in every uneven year until
1989. All excavations were directed by French archaeologist Jean-Louis
Huot.
Tell
el-'Oueili and its environment :
The site measures 200 metres (660 ft) in diameter and is approximately
5 metres (16 ft) high. It is located ca. 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi)
southeast of Larsa in Dhi Qar Governorate, southern Iraq. The environment
of 'Oueili is characterized by temperatures that can reach more
than 50 °C in summer and less than 250 mm of annual rainfall,
making the area unsuitable for rainfed agriculture.
Occupation
history :
Tell el-'Oueili was occupied during the Ubaid period. The excavations
have revealed occupation layers dating from Ubaid 0 (6500-5400 BCE)
to Ubaid 4. The phase Ubaid 0 was first discovered at this site
and was hence provisionally termed 'Oueili-phase.
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Tell_el-%27Oueili