Introduction to Depositional History

James L. Walker – September 2024

Background

There are many similarities among adjacent excavation units A13, A15, and A16. They all excavated portions of the formal wing of the palace, soecifically, the ceremonial flagstone courtyard. A13’s excavations included some of the elements of the reception area fully exposed later by A15. A16’s excavations included both the formal courtyard and construction in the Khabur town. A15 and A15 exposed elements of structures built before the palace.

Summary

The palace is the central element. It was built into the side of a 10 meter high mound formed by the ruins of earlier occupations. Construction in later occupational periods continued the same practice - using the detritus of the palace and building upward while cutting into the mound hoizontally where necessary. The bricks of the interior walls of the palace were removed but the more substantial exterior walls remained standing. The result was a large open space that was maintained that way by severe erosion.

After construction, the formal wing was in use by King Tupkish. We assume that upon his death the are ceased to be used in ceremonies and the reception ares reverted to domestic use. at some later period of time, the area was remodeled, the wall bricks removed and facilities such as paths and platforms were built to serve a shrine.

At the end of the Akkadian occupation, the open spaces were used casually by those in Phase 5. Khabur occupation of A15 saw new construction of an industrial area, including ceramics production. Thia was was eventually abandoned and walls and a room were constructed duting the Mittani period. After that, the space was abandoned to the elements, cccontinuing this status through the present day.