2001
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“The Royal Palace at Urkesh and the Daughter of Naram-Sin,”
Les Annales Archéologiques Arabes Syriennes: Revue d'Archéologie et d'Histoire, vol. XLIV, 2001, pp. 63-69.
Ministère de la Culture, Direction Générale des Antiqués et des Musées.
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The importance and the role of Urkesh in the third millennium BC is strengthened by the attestations on sealings (about 200) of the name of Tar’am-Agade, daughter of Naram-Sin and most likely queen of Urkesh (and not only a priestess).
These sealings could be also connected to others of another person, Ewrim-Atal (a Hurrian name), found in the same contexts and probably suggesting a similar use of those seals in administrative activities.
Another important functionary, Ishar-beli (an Akkadian name), is attested on other sealings also showing north-eastern Syrian features. The last door sealing described so far were found in a cache of room H2 in the Royal Palace.
Later on, the ceramic of the third millennium is briefly presented, the seriation of sherds suggesting a considerable degree of continuity within the third millennium BC.
Afterwards, the authors offer a description of some other main structures: a large royal building in Area AA of the Royal Palace, the Storeroom AK (in sector C), a large courtyard in sector F, the 'formal' (i.e, ceremonial) wing in sector H, and other structures outside the Royal Palace in sectors X (a platform) and W (an apsidal structure).
The last section focuses on the analysis of the excavated portion of sector C, within the service wing of building AK, interpreted as a scribal place on the base of the some findings from the iwan room C2: a basin (lined with pure clay layers and interpreted as a scribal installation to prepare tablets and sealings) and half of a tablet.
[M. De Pietri – November 2019]
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