Ricerc@Sapienza

The first seven years of excavations (2011-2017) revealed the site of Abu Tbeirah as basically an Early Dynastic settlement whose life ended during the Ur III period (2900-2150 BC).
The activities of the 7th campaign foresee the pursuance of the excavation of Building E (Area 6, NE of the site) and of the 3rd millennium harbor (Area 5, NW), the first port 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 toolset and other findings such as bitumen. We also foresee, on the basis of the funding, the realization of soundings inside and outside the tell in order to reconstruct the paleo-environment and paleo-climate and the morpho-geological setting of AbT area. The 8th 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.