NINO back in Iraq

Research on the Rania Plain in Iraqi Kurdistan, autumn 2015

A small team from NINO is now back on the Rania Plain. We plan some excavation on Shemshara – and will continue the pilot survey of the plain, initiated last year.

Images in the gallery below:

1. Ivan Kisjes and Vaclav Tuma setting out a new trench on Tell Shemshara.
2. The Dokan Lake has caused massive erosion on especially the east flank of Shemshara. This season we are recording the cut sections with photogrammetry – a work here in progress on the northern hill of the site.
3. And here a preliminary result... the section shows a Neolithic terrace (grey layer at top of section) cut into the natural hill (image by Ivan Kisjes).
4. In preparation for the survey we visited the very eroded site of Girda Gulle, on the west bank of the lake.
5. By coincidence the local antiquities guard a few days later showed a variety of objects which have eroded out of the site and were found by fishermen when the lake receded in late summer. Among the items are several Islamic coins and a small First Millennium BC jar. More about this site later when we begin the survey.