Survey and Excavations at Sāmarrā' 1989

A review of Holocene avulsions of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and possible effects on the evolution of civilizations in lower Mesopotamia

“…Aerial photographs display a broad belt of meander traces some 10-15 km wide well to the west of the present Tigris channel between Samarra and Baghdad (Northedge et al 1990; AA' in Figure 2). Built on alluvium of this meander belt, the Tell Bundari site was occupied during the 3rd millennium B.C., presumably after the Tigris system avulsed to adopt a more easterly course (meandering channel BB' in Figure 2).…”

“…The details of this channel shift are not known; however, the earlier channel remained active until about 100 years ago. Only during the last century did the new course assume most of the Tigris flow (Northedge et al, 1990).…”

“…Consequently, during a sufficiently large flood, the new course of the Tigris was likely diverted along one of the preexisting canals (Northedge at al., 1990). As a result, large areas of land were left without irrigation, necessitating construction of a number of new canals (Le Strange, 1905).…”

“…The locations of ancient Tigris and Euphrates channels ( Figure 2) were determined by previous archaeological and geomorphological surveys from topographic (Adams, 1981;Verhoeven, 1998 maps (1:50,000, 1:253,440, 1:200,000, 1:25,000, 1:20,000, and 1:10,000 series), 1:35,000 aerial photos, SPOT images, and medieval maps (Adams, 1981;Northedge et al, 1990;Cole and Gasche, 1998). Some ancient channels were dated using archaeological material from ancient settlements on their banks (Jacobsen 1960;Adams and Nissen, 1972;Gibson, 1972;Adams, 1981;Cole and Gasche, 1998;Verhoeven, 1998;Wilkinson, 1990Wilkinson, , 2000Wilkinson, , 2003.…”