Area G

Alexander Sollee, M.A.

Lower Town
After geophysical studies had already showed that some areas with archaeological potential are still unoccupied, Area G was opened in the north-east of the lower town in 2009. This area seemed promising, because the northeastern part of the area had been removed by modern measures of construction, thus enabling us to reach older levels as fast as possible.

The primary goal of these investigations is to attain a more complete picture of the stratigraphy of the lower town. Our primary goal here is to establish a stratigraphic sequence of the lower town and to scrutinize how its levels can be correlated with the results from recent excavations on the citadel. Connected to that is the fundamental question, whether the lower town was already founded in Aramaean times or if it only emerged as the town became part of the Neo-Assyrian empire.

During the first, short season of excavations in Area G, the northeastern corner of a room was uncovered (Fig. 1).The building dates back to the Neo-Assyrian period, as shown by the ceramics. On the interior face of the northern wall of the room, white plaster – 5 cm thick – has been preserved. At the bottom, it is painted with black bitumen (Fig. 2). A door led out of the room to the east. It was outfitted with a flat limestone threshold. A fragment of a duck-weight was reused in a stone pavement in front of the door.

(Translation: A. Sollee / B. Sollee)