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Intoduction–
Blacksmithing activities at the Tell Mozan site are currently considered relatively challenging due to the lack of electricity at the site.
This circumstance necessitates the assistance of a mobile blacksmith who possesses an electric generator mounted on a vehicle, allowing mobility within the site.
From the outset, the objective was to rely on a blacksmith from Tell Mozan or nearby villages for two main reasons:
- Economic considerations: Hiring a blacksmith from Qamishli or Amuda to work at Tell Mozan would incur significantly higher costs, approximately four times the expense of hiring one from
neighboring villages.
- Promoting the involvement of local suppliers: This approach aligns with the objectives of our project and is part of the “Ecoarchaeological Park”, which aims to support local communities and encourage the active participation of local suppliers in carrying out on-site operations.
Accordingly, the only viable option was to engage the blacksmith residing in the village of Umm al-Rabi‘, located approximately one kilometer north of Tell Mozan.
The blacksmithing work at the site was limited to several specific tasks, which are dealt with indetail in the following sections.
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Iron fence
The iron fence is one of the key elements that enhance the aesthetic appeal of the site, in addition to its primary function of protecting it. The fence serves a dual purpose: it safeguards the excavations and prevents visitors from accessing fragile areas, while also reducing the risk of visitors falling into deep excavations, which could result in injuries.
Moreover, it helps maintain the designated visitor pathways and regulates movement througout the site.
At the site, most sections of the iron fence were bent, some were broken, and other parts were entirely missing.
Bent iron fence
Broken parts
Missing elements
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The objectives of the repair process were to address these problems.
It should be noted that completely replacing the fence would be a very costly undertaking; therefore, this task has been deferred to future years. The mission may later decide to renew the fence entirely or replace only the missing sections, particularly in the areas between the excavations above the palace and the palace.
The work on site continued for two days. On the first day, the iron fence was repaired by welding the broken sections and adding new rods to replace the missing parts in the temple area. The blacksmith attempted to unscrew the bolts to reassemble the sections; however, the bolts were corroded and could not be removed.
Some parts had to be cut and rewelded, and other parts straightened in both the temple and palace areas.
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Welding of the rods
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Addition of new rods
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Some parts had to be cut and rewelded, and other parts straightened in both the temple and palace areas.
Cutting of parts of the rods
Welding of the rods
Straightening of bent rods
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Repair of the tannur cover
It was observed that two rings of the tannur cover were broken.
The broken rings of the tannur cover
This hindered the proper closing of the cover and caused it to become dislodged from the surrounding tannur frame. Therefore, the damaged rings were replaced with new ones and welded in place.
The tannur cover after repair
### Repair of the doors
It was observed that one of the doors had become embedded in the ground due to accumulated debris over the past years, preventing it from opening properly and obstructing visitor movement. Two options were considered: excavating to enable proper door operation or slightly raising it above the ground. The latter option was chosen to avoid any excavation at the site at this stage, even if minor. The blacksmith raised the door and rewelded it in place.
The door during the raising process
### Installation of mesh for drainage system
It was observed that the mesh covering the iron frames installed over the drainage system in Iwan C5 was missing.
The missing mesh on the drainage frames in Iwan C5
This led to the accumulation of debris within the drainage pits due to the absence of the protective mesh. Consequently, a new mesh was installed on the two frames and secured in place, restoring it to its original condition prior to wear and loss.
The installation of the new mesh on the drainage frames
### Fixing the sheets (tutiya) on walls D1-1 and E1-1, and the sheets on the dome of the abi
It was observed that the sheets (tutiya) on the protective systems above Wall D1-1 were not properly secured, or the bolts may have been removed from their positions. This situation exposed the sheets to potential displacement due to strong winds, which could result in their falling or in the dislodgment of the cement blocks placed above them for stabilization. Such occurrences could threaten visitor safety or, at a minimum, leave the wall exposed without protection against weather conditions.
The tutiya was firmly secured using bolts to prevent any potential fall.
Securing of the tutiya sheets on Wall D1-1
Additionally, the tutiya above Wall E1-1 was installed and secured.
Securing of the tutiya sheets on Wall E1-1
One of the missing bolts on the Abi dome was reinstalled, as its absence could have caused water leakage into the dome.
Fixing of sheets on the dome of the abi
### Repair of protective barbed wirre
The primary function of the protective barbed wire is to support the iron fence, thereby protecting the excavations and maintaining the visitor pathways. It was observed that some sections of the protective barbed wire installed on the iron fence were deteriorated or not properly secured to the rods, and other sections were missing in different areas.
The damaged protective barbed wire
To restore protective efficiency, on the second day of work, the intact sections of the wire were reinstalled, and new pieces were added in areas containing deteriorated or missing sections.
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