TELL
ES-SAWWAN
![](tellessawwan.jpg)
Tell
es Sawwan location in Iraq
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.
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.
Tell
es-Sawwan and its environment :
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).
The main mound was surrounded by a three-metre defensive ditch and
a strong mudbrick wall. The village consisted of large houses and
other buildings thought to be granaries.
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.
History
of research :
The site was excavated by a team from the Iraqi Directorate General
of Antiquities in seven seasons between 1964 and 1971. The second
season was led by Khalid Ahmad Al-a'dami and the sixth and seventh
season by Walid Yasin.
Gallery
:
![](Female_figurine_Tell_es_Sawwan_DAO33.jpg)
Female
figurine from Tell es-Sawwan, Louvre Museum
![](446px-Mother_goddess_from_Tell_es-Sawwan,_Iraq,_6000-5800_BCE._Iraq_Museum_in_Baghdad.jpg)
Mother
goddess from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq, 6000 - 5800 BCE. Iraq Museum
![](385px-Mother_goddess_from_Tell_es-Sawwan,_Iraq,_6000-5800_BCE._Iraq_Museum,_Baghdad.jpg)
Mother
goddess figurine from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq, 6000 - 5800 BCE. Iraq
Museum
![](535px-Alabaster_jar_with_a_necklace_from_Tell_es-Sawwan,_Iraq._6000-5800_BCE._Iraq_Museum.jpg)
Alabaster
jar with a necklace from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq. 6000 - 5800 BCE.
Iraq Museum
![](601px-Bowl_with_human_bones_from_Tell_es-Sawwan,_Iraq,_6000-5800_BCE._Iraq_Museum.jpg)
Bowl
with human bones from Tell es-Sawwan, Iraq, 6000 - 5800 BCE. Iraq
Museum
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Tell_es-Sawwan