Tell Qaramel Syria
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TELL QARAMEL SYRIA TELL QARAMEL EXCAVATIONS 2007 Ryszard F. Mazurowski The ninth season of excavations at Qaramel lasted from April 4 to May 18, 2007. The Syro-Polish Archaeological Mission was a continuation of the joint undertaking of the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw and the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums of Syria, partly financed by the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw.1 The main goal of this season was the final exploration of the deepest layers with traces of occupation from the Proto-Neolithic, or transitional, horizon to the very Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) (in squares J-8b,d, J-7b,d and K-7). In this area, four rounded towers had been discovered and some architectural elements of a possible fifth tower were observed in the last days of the 2006 season. Another priority was the exploration of the southernmost square (K-3/L-3,4), where the oldest layer on the site with a house dug into culturally sterile soil had been found in the previous season [Fig. 1]. The continuation of excavations in squares L-5 and L-4/M-4 aimed at verifying the presence of occupation from the final stage of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic settlement. There had been some indications that at that time the settlement had been located a little farther to the south than during previous stages, which would explain why in squares J-8, J-7, K-7 and K-6, situated farther to the north, no material or structures typical of the final PPN horizon could be found. 1 We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Bassam Jammous, Director General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, and Dr. Michael Al-Maqdissi, Director of the Excavations Department in DGAM Damascus for their hospitality, continuous help and kindness. Words of thanks are addressed also to the staff of the Regional Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in Aleppo and in particular to its Director, Dr. Nadim Fakesh. The mission was co-directed by Ryszard F. Mazurowski (photographic documentation, ground and pecked stone finds), and Youssef Kanjou (processing of human bones). On the Polish side, the staff included: archaeologists Marcin Białowarczuk (supervision of squares J-7 and K-7; special finds registrar), Andrzej Gackowski, Joanna Gawrońska (supervision of squares L-4/M-4; general registrar), Artur Grabarek (supervision of square L-5), Piotr Karczmarek (chipped <flint> industry finds, flotation of paleobotanical samples), Tomasz Kowalski, Bartłomiej Paprocki, Julita Wojciechowska; documentalist Katarzyna Odya; and archaeozoologist Anna Gręzak. The Syrian part of the Mission included Qaies Abbout Gorge and Abdalla Aref Nasser. 565 Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007 TELL QARAMEL SYRIA SQUARE J-8B,D Levels belonging to the Proto-Neolithic huge Early Bronze Age pits which had been (stratum IX) and Early PPN (stratum VIII) dug down to culturally sterile soil. The work were investigated in this northernmost of in square J-8b,d ceased after culturally the excavated trenches. The features were sterile soil was reached over the whole practically completely destroyed by two surface. Fig. 1. Trenches excavated in the 2007 season (PCMA mission archives; digiziting R. Mahler) 566 Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007 TELL QARAMEL SYRIA STRATUM VIII ― LEVEL 14 raised in a single row and plastered with Part of house(?) (Loc. 22) of rounded shape yellow mud, was traced under the remains and PPNA dating was found in the south- of Loc. 21, which were explored last season. western corner of the square [Fig. 2, left]. The It was oval in shape and measured diameter could not be ascertained as the approximately one meter across. Loc. 23 structure lay partly concealed under the may have been a solid hearth, which baulk. The wall, approx. 0.30 m thick, was remained in use for a long time. built of flat pebbles stacked in a single row Another, more primitive hearth (No. 16), and plastered with yellow mud. approximately 0.50 m in diameter and A specially constructed pit (Loc. 23), its 0.30 m deep, was found in the northwestern sides faced with elongated flat pebbles part of the square. It was filled with gray ash. Fig. 2. Square J-8 b,d. Stratum VIII, levels 14 (left) and 15 (Drawing P. Kaczmarek, T. Kowalski) 567 Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007 TELL QARAMEL SYRIA Nearby was a rounded pit with flat bottom were preserved. It was filled with gray ash (No. 15), approx. 0.60 m in diameter and and charcoal. 0.30 m deep, filled with loose, red soil. Other features found in the vicinity of Loc. 26 included two typical postholes STRATUM VIII — LEVEL 15 (Nos 10 and 11) and three pits (Nos 21-23). The largest structure in the next level [Fig. 2, The pits were round or oval, flat-bottomed, right] was Loc. 25, a large round house filled with red soil and pebbles, some of destroyed to some extent by the Early Bronze which were burned, and in one case also light Age pits, partly situated outside the square. It gray ashes and gray soil. Some small animal was probably over 6 m in diameter and was bones came from the fill along with some slightly conical in cross-section, sinking flint artifacts and a bead made of bird bone. approx. 0.50 m deep into the ground. Its fill consisted of alternating layers of gray ash with charcoal and red soil mixed with burned stones. A large number of wild animal bones was recovered from this house. Two typical postholes (Nos 7 and 8) were situated near its eastern border. Another posthole (No. 9) was discovered in the southeastern part of the square. Locus 24 resembles Loc. 23 from the later level. It is a solid, round hearth (approx. 0.90 m in diameter), made of flat elongated pebbles plastered with a coating of yellow mud, 0.10–0.15 m thick. It was filled with gray ash and charcoal devoid of artifacts. In the vicinity of the hearth were two small and irregular traces (Nos 23 and 24), only 3–4 cm thick. They may have been used no more than once. Also found were two rounded pits (Nos 17 and 18; 0.40 and 0.50 m in diameter respectively); they were conical in section and filled with red mud. STRATUM IX — LEVEL 1 Structures, tentatively dated to the Proto- Neolithic Period, were covered by 0.15 m of clean red soil. All were concentrated in the northern part of the square and lay directly on culturally sterile layers [Fig. 3]. The main structure in this level was Loc. 26, a round feature (approx. 0.50 m in diameter) sunk into culturally sterile soil Fig. 3. Square J-8b,d. Stratum IX, level 1 and overlaid with pebbles, few of which (Drawing P. Kaczmarek, T. Kowalski) 568 Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007 TELL QARAMEL SYRIA SQUARES J-7B,D AND K-7 Exploration in squares J-7b,d and K-7 Six postholes were connected with this concentrated on two occupational levels structure: four (Nos 5, 7, 8 and 11) located (13 and 14) connected with the Early PPNA symmetrically along the edge of the pit, two Period (Stratum V). (Nos 9 and 10) inside the house. Five of these were typical postholes, round in shape, STRATUM V — LEVEL 13 approx. 0.20–0.30 m in diameter and The level contained a richness of architec- 0.05–0.25 m deep. Post hole 5 was tural features: four houses and some hearths additionally surrounded by a small, approx. and pits concentrated around a stone 0.05 m thick, mud “wall”. The postholes and pavement used for everyday activities the absence of anything to suggest walling [Fig. 4]. indicates that Loc. 62 was a kind of shelter. One of the best preserved structures was a Loc. 62 was contemporary with a house (Loc. 62), located in the northern part crescent-shaped platform of beaten red mud of the square. It was a partly subterranean, located about 3 m to the south of it. In its oval structure (approx. 2.80 by 2.40 m across center was a round hearth (Pit 4; approx. and 0.20 m deep). The house was sunk into 0.40 m in diameter). Just beside the platform a layer of hard, red mud used as a floor. was another round hearth (Pit 2; approx. Fig. 4. Square J-7b,d. Stratum V, level 13 (Drawing M. Białowarczuk, B. Paprocki) 569 Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007 TELL QARAMEL SYRIA 0.70 m in diameter) covered by a 3 cm thick 5 cm thick mud lining), a hearth (Pit 16) and layer of mud plaster. It was partly destroyed another small round hearth, approx. 0.50 m by a younger pit (No. 1) connected with in diameter, surrounded with stones. level 12. About two meters east of Loc. 62, another STRATUM V — LEVEL 14 presumably oval house (Loc. 66; approx. Level 14 has been identified so far only in 3.00–3.50 m by 2.50–3.00 m across) was squares J-7b,d and K-7a,c. Two phases, located. Part of a curved wall, probably pisé, A and B, have been recorded. Phase B is the and a fragment of an internal hearth have younger of the two and this season it was survived. No traces of a floor were found recognized only in square J-7b,d. It inside it.