Preface

Amer Ahmad – August 2025

For full bibliographical information see Front Matter.

A6 in isolation

Unit A6 covers a relatively large area compared to other units within the palace and the service wing, containing more than 9 loci (5x5 squares) that reflect various functions over time. The earliest of these functions date back to the Akkadian period, as evidenced by the Tupkish Palace. In the northern part of the unit, there is sufficient evidence indicating that the area was used as a kitchen for the royal palace, as shown by the presence of fire installations, ceramics, and discovered seal impressions. Additionally, some deposits beneath one of the rooms reveal an earlier settlement dating back to the Early Dynastic III period, indicating a long-term occupation. The southern section of the unit contains several rooms associated with administrative and service activities. The unit exhibits continuous occupation over time, with two main phases identified in the Akkadian period: the reign of King Tupkish and his successor. This is clearly reflected in the royal seal impressions belonging to Queen Taram-Agade. Furthermore, the archaeological layers reveal graves and public activities dating to the Ur III and Isin-Larsa periods, extending up to around 1600 B.C., passing through the Khabur period. However, during these later phases, the unit served as an annex to another building and was no longer used for royal purposes

A6 within its broader setting

Unit A6 is closely connected, both depositionally and functionally, to other units within the palace. The service wing—and the palace as a whole—includes several excavation units that have been investigated since 1990, as part of the broader excavations in Area AA. Three years ago, we began working on completing the data for this unit as a digital book, within the wider framework of the UGR project.

A6 as primary material

The work on Unit A6 constitutes the core of my doctoral dissertation and serves as primary material to support the arguments presented therein. This is achieved through the study of the ceramic assemblage, the seals, and the architectural features, all of which highlight the significance of the unit in the daily life of the royal palace and its role as part of the palace’s service wing.

The uses of the book

To be able to “read” the A6 digital book, like any other such book, requires a certain familiarity with its structure, although the intent has been to make access to the browser edition as transparent as possible. One will find a detailed explanation of the page layout in the Mozan Sitewide digital book. Briefly, the section accessed from the left hand side vertical bar (in red) is discursive and synthetic, and is presented using traditional concepts and terminology. The right hand side vertical bar (in black) is analytical and it embodies the UGR system proper. For a synthetic overview of the main results of work in A6 please refer to the overview within the special Introduction to this digital book.