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The Lower Habur a Preliminary Report

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The Lower Habur a Preliminary Report Originalveröffentlichung in: Les Annales Archeologiques Arabes Syriennes 27/28 , 1977/78, S. 115-140 THE LOWER HABUR A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE TUBINGER ATLAS DES VORDEKEN ORIENTS IN 1975 By WOLFGANG ROLLIG and HARTMUT KUHNE I. Aims and Methods : Realization (W. information about Saggaratum and other Ri.llig) sites in the Habur. The task of the staff of the Institute A few campaigns in the Habur have for the Ancient Near East in Tubingen been reported from the Middle Assyrian for the «Tiibinger Atlas des Vorderen period : in the third and fourth years of Orients» consists of working on maps his reign, Tiglathpilesar I carried out a dealing with the history of Mesopotamia, raid which extended from Suhi to the Syria, and Asia Minor from the Fourth to 3 city of Karkamis in the land of Hatte . the First Millennium B.C. All available In 1143 B.C., he apparently hunted bull published material concerning the histori­ clephantes in the land of Harran and in the cal geography of these countries is to be district of the Habur River 4. Later, Assur- collected; the textual evidence will be pub­ bel-kala (1074 - 1056), on his Broken lished in the «Repertoire Geographique Obelisk, described a campaign against des Textes Cuneiformes.» Preparation of the land of Arime; the well-know cities the maps dealing with settlements in Old of Dur-Katlimu ( Dur-JaSidlim ) and Sang- Babylonian times and during the Assyrian arte ( Saggaratum ) were mentioned5. expansion in the Middle Euphrates revealed that the Lower Habur region is well docu­ mented in the texts but almost unknown The activities of the kings Adad- to historians and archaeologists. Nerari II, Tukulti-Ninurta II' and Assur- nasirpal II against the Aramaeans in the A great deal ot textual evidence from early centuries of the Neo-Assyrian Empire the Old Babylonian and Old Assyrian are already known. The Aramaeans had periods is available for sites located in the annexed this region and established their valley of the Habur. The texts recently own states, Bit-halupe in the Lower Habur excavated at Mari. which include the in particular. The reports of the expedi­ letters of Yaqqim-Adad, the governor of tions of Adad-Nerari II and Tukulti- Saggaratum, to Zimri-Lim, the king of Ninurta II are particularly interesting for Mari, have just been published.1 All they contain a complete itinerary of the events reported in these texts involved campaigns : the first6 came from the north cities and villages in the Habur region and extended to the south as far as the between the Euphrates and the Habur Euphrates; the second 7, from the Euph­ triangle upstream. The recently published rates (Sirqu, i.e., Terqa or modern Tali tablets from the Old Babylonian Tall 'Asara) extended upstream and reached Rimah2 also provided new and useful at least as far as Nasibina (Nisibis). Since 116 Les annales arheolog'ques arades syriennes sometimes the same sites are mentioned, time. At present, his book is still consi­ we have evidence for the daily marches dered to be the standard literature dealing of the Assyrian army. The intervals bet­ with the archaeological remains and the ween the ruined sites in the Lower Ha!»ur Islamic history of the Lower Habur. Valey correspond with the daily marched of the army. The sites themselves can be Three additional explorations should identified with the rest camps for the also be mentioned. In 1924, Alois Musil army. was able to provide some useful infor­ mation about the tails at the west bank 14 Seidmann and Horn were able to recons­ of the Lower Habur on the basis of truct such itineraries on the basis of the expedition to the Middle Euphrates. One information available from the then year later, Pere A. Poidebard took aerial known exploration of the Habur Valley3. photographs at certain points along the The archaeologicad evidence, however, has route15 and published the results in «La been scarce and incomplete, particularly trace de Rome dans le desert de Syrie.))1^ with regard to the F'.rst and Second Mille­ Poidebard's work concentrated basically nnium B.C. Much of the identification and on the early centuries of the Christian many of the suggestions cannot be veri­ Era. Sir Max Mallowan conducted the fied and , therefore, remain doubtful. last investigation of the talis in the Lower Habur; he dealt particularly with Archaeological exploration of those Chalcoliihic and Bronze Age remains. regions we surveyed began as early Mallowan's survey, in 1934, included not as 1850 when A. Layard visited the only the west bank of the river but also Habur and did some excavating9. Although a part of the east bank, which had long his excavation were of short duration one been disregarded. Only a brief report of 17 was surprisingly successful. He found the this suvey has ben published ; the find­ remains of a provincial Assyrian style ings did not receive the attention they palace at Arban/'Agaga. Using the short deserved. inscriptions, G. Smith 10 was able to iden­ tify this large tal] as Sad'kanni, at present At this stage of research of the the only identified site in this region. Later, Lower Habur region, the following goals three travellers (Hausknecht, Blunt and have been set up for the preparation of Sachau)reached the Lower Habur, but they the historical maps : were unable to contribute any additional 1. All evidence dealing with the ancient information. In 1887, B. Moritz and R. settlements by the river, both literary Koldewey11 travelled from 'Arban to and archaeological is to be collected. Bsera, but the report of this trip was not published. Baron Max von Oppenheim, 2. The cultivated area beside the Habur however, did describe his quick crossing and, if possible, the adjacent regions 12 of the Lower Habur region in 1899. In from Bsera at the confluence with the order to suppplement Oppenheim's work, Euphrates as far as Haseke and the Ernst Herzfeld and Friedrich Sarre investi­ confluence with the Gaggag River gated many ruins and tails on the west River (Hirmas) are to be systemati­ side of the river between 7 and 15 Decem­ cally surveyed.The landscape is totally ber 1910!3. They were able to gather ad­ different north of this point, and as ditional and more detailed information. a result, another cultural and histori­ The site scriptions as well as Herzfeld's cal environment may be found here. sketches served as reliable guides for uur work. It is amazing how many details 3. The settlement periods for all inves­ Herzfeld was able to record in such a short tigated talis are to be established in The Lower Habur 117 so far as this is possible within the to beginning the survey. Fifteen, however, context of a surface survey; well- were still unknown. We recorded and mea­ documented suggestions w.'ll be made sured these talis, which are situated in with regard to their identification. the region from Bsera to Saddada. The section of the Lower Habu region in the 4. The relationship between the ancient r desert below the Gabal 'Abd al 'Aziz and settlements and the present environm­ around the Kokab Mountain could not be ent are to be noted(i.e, ancient and mo­ systematically surveyed due to lack of dern river beds, irrigat:on works, time. In 1977 we shall carry out another fords and bridges, roads, etc.). survey; particular attention will be de­ 5. The development and decline of the voted to those areas we have not yet region through the ages are to be re­ had the opportunity to investigate. constructed as far as is possible. The participants in the survey were The methodological considerations Dr. Brigitte Gregoire-Groneberg, Mr. Karl- required to implement these goals will be heinz Kessler, Dr. Hartmut Kiihne, and described in the final report. The daily Professor Dr. Wolfgang Rdllig The Direc­ schedule then consisted of recording every tion Generale des Antiqutes et des Musees identifiable tall on both sides of the Habur in Damascus generously provided the River. It is possible that we failed to notice necessary support, for our work, granted extremely small tails, particularly in the us permission to undertake the survey, south. S.'nce the ground is often covered and provided much useful information. by river sediment and may have been We would particularly like to express cultivated for coton, such sites cannot be our thanks to the Director General Dr. easily discerned. A. Bahnassi, the Director of Excavat on Dr. A. Bounni, and Dr. K. Touer for their For each tall we undertook the fol­ assistance and personal interest in our lowing procedure : project. Grateful appreciation must also be expressed to Mr. Heretani, Director 1. We described the site as it is presen­ of the Aleppo Museum, and to both our tly found, in terms of its location, representatives, Messrs, M. Nenni anu modern settlement, etc. Assad Mahmoud for their help and assis­ 2. We surveyed the site with a theo­ tance. dolite and determined the height in relation to the natural soils as accu­ II. Description of Sites and Surface Finds rately as possible. (H. Kiihne). 3. We collected sherds and other surface We visited altogether 56 talis, num­ finds. The finds were classified bering each place as we surveyed it. We according to particular areas of started out with a visit to Tall Krah at the tall. These carefully selected she­ the left bank of the Euphrates ( see map rds were then used to date the site. Fig. 1), which we did not include in our 4.
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