Ricerc@Sapienza

The first six years of excavations (2011-2016) revealed the site of Abu Tbeirah as basically an Early Dynastic settlement whose life ended during the Akkadian/beginning of Ur III period (2900-2150 BC).
The activities of the 7th campaign foresee the pursuance of the excavation of Building A (Area 1, SE of the site) and of Building D (Area 4, NE part of the site). At the same time, the team will start the work on the 3rd millennium harbor, a structure that has never been excavated in contemporary Mesopotamian sites for the period involved. The analysis of the material culture will be carried on in order to define, together with C14 analysis of shortlived stratified archaeo-botanical remains, the chronology of the settlement. aDNA and isotope analysis will be carried on as well on both human and animal bones, together with archaeometric studies on pottery, lithic tool-set and other findings such as bitumen. We also foresee, on the basis of the funding, the realization of soundings in order to reconstruct the paleo-climate and the geological setting in the study area.
Furthermore, in the frame of the activities of the archaeological valorization of the Nasiriyah territory, and in relation with the recent acceptance of Ur in the Unesco World Heritage List (17th of July 2016), a study of the urban and rural landscape of the area in medieval through modern times will be performed.
The 7th excavation campaign will last three months (see Concession of excavation section) and will involve at least 14 Italian archaeologists and specialists from Sapienza and other Institutions.