2005
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“The Monumental Urban Complex at Urkesh,”
Studies on the Civilization and Culture of the Nuzi and the Hurrians 15, General Studies and Excavations at Nuzi 11/1, pp. 3-28.
The 16th excavation season at Tell Mozan (2003) “focused on the exploration of a monumental urban complex that links the palace and temple over a distance of ca. 250 meters” (p. 3).
In detail, the area of the ābi [for this structure, see also Urkesh website] and the adjacent KASKAL.KUR was investigated.
Section 1 deals with the topic of the Hurrian identity of Urkesh: at the very beginning, the author summarizes the key-point in defining an ethnical group: 1) largeness of the phaenomenon; 2) consistency through the time; 3) presence of a marked sense of identity; 4) attestation of specific cultural traits which needs to be 5) ascribed, 6) nonorganizational and 7) symbolic in nature.
The following cultural traits are recognized, hinting to the definition of a proper Hurrian ethnicity at Urkesh: 1) language (i.e. Hurrian) and scribal tradition; 2) onomastics; 3) political ideology; 4) cult (mainly the necromantic activities related to the ābi; 5) mythology.
Furthermore, other features can be added to define the distinctiveness of Urkesh material culture: 1) presence of household material culture [for which, see Kelly-Buccellati 2005]; 2) existence of a peculiar fashion in style; 3) attestation of a representational style [see Kelly-Buccellati 2005, quoted above]; 4) identification of an architectural style. This last element is specifically explored in section 2, analysing the monumental urban complex of Urkesh, defined by the temple, the temple plaza, the royal palace and the passage to the netherworld (the ābi and an area interpreted as a KASKAL.KUR), everything surrounded by a citadel wall.
Section 3 describes the lower sacral area related to the underground necromantic structure.
Section 4 presents the quest for the Eastern wing of the Royal Palace, a possible third wing provisionally labelled as AR (for residential), insisting on three western squares of sector J1, where materials typologically associated with the Palace assemblage where found.
Section 5 investigates the access sector to the formal wing of the Palace (AF), with an entrance probably facing West (not yet detected at that time).
Section 6 presents the service wing (AK) and the great Palace drain in room C4: here, also an Akkadian cuneiform tablet (A10.377 [see Urkesh Website: Administrative Texts]) was found (dating to the reign of Tupkish), presenting nine lines only on the obverse and quoting a 'governor' (ana iššiakim).
Section 7 discusses the later settlements excavated above the ruins of the Palace (dating after 2100 BC), where a necklace of small beads was discovered (A15.260) together with a small bone pendant (A15.319).
[M. De Pietri – November 2019]
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