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Excavations at Tell Mohammed ‘Arab in the Eski Mosul Dam Salvage Project

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Michael Roaf
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Extract

Since November 1982 the British Archaeological Expedition to Iraq has been excavating Tell Mohammed ‘Arab as part of the Eski Mosul Dam Salvage Project organized by the Iraqi State Organization for Antiquities and Heritage. In this article the main results of these excavations will be described.

The work of the British Archaeological Expedition to Iraq is sponsored by the British School of Archaeology in Iraq and supported by the British Academy. The expenses of the work force are paid out of the budget of the Eski Mosul Dam Salvage Project while the expenses of the supervisory staff are met by the British Archaeological Expedition to Iraq.

The area of the Eski Mosul Dam Salvage Project lies along the Tigris River and extends about 60 km from north-west to south-east and a maximum of about 11 km wide. The countryside is mostly rolling hillsides often quite steep with rock (mainly evaporites) emerging in places. The ground is red alluvial soil with strata of river gravel and conglomerate, with deep wadis cut by run-off rainwater. The climate is characterized by hot dry summers and cool dry winters. The mean annual rainfall is about 450 mm per year with over 90% falling in the six months from November to April. Although this is above the reliable 200 mm isohyet, this year there was insufficient rain for wheat and barley. The previous winter too was exceptional with snow and frost in January and February. The area is suitable for arable farming (barley and wheat, irrigated vegetables and orchards of mulberry, pistachio and olive), for animal husbandry (mostly sheep and goats), and for fishing in the Tigris or its tributaries.

Type
Research Article
Information
IRAQ , Volume 46 , Issue 2 , Autumn 1984 , pp. 141 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute for the Study of Iraq 1984

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