The Italian Archaeological Project in the Erbil Plain (2013–2017)

Kurd Qaburstan on the Erbil Plain: Field Research 2016–2017

“…Whether Kurd Qaburstan is to be identified with ancient Qabra is still uncertain, but the evidence obtained thus far is consistent with that proposition. The MB results, when merged with new data from excavations elsewhere in upper Mesopotamia such as Helawa, Aliawa, and Qasr Shemamok on the Erbil plain (Masetti-Rouault 2020; Peyronel et al 2019;Rouault 2016), Gir-e Gomel on the Navkur plain (Morandi Bonacossi et al 2018), and Bassetki and Kemune in the middle Tigris (Pfälzner and Qasim 2020;Puljiz and Qasim 2019), can be expected to yield new perspectives on early second millennium B.C. urban and socio-political developments.…”

“…(caper), a member of the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae/mustard) (grape) and Olea europea (olive) were identified in an Akkadian period oven. To date, with the exception of fig, none of these taxa have been recovered from Kurd Qaburstan (Schwartz et al 2017), Helawa (Peyronel et al 2019), or nearby Surezha (Proctor 2021).…”

“…The rarity of legume finds at LB Kurd Qaburstan mirrors other LB evidence in the region, providing a strong contrast with earlier practices across the region. Within Late Neolithic samples from Tepe Marani, Ubaid samples from Gurga Chiya and Helawa, and Ubaid and Late Chalcolithic samples from Surezha, legumes are generally much more abundant and ubiquitous, sometimes dominating sample assemblages (Carter et al 2020;Peyronel et al 2019;Proctor 2021). Additionally, a general paucity of chaff in LB samples has been noted at other sites including Surezha (Proctor 2021) and may relate to a broader regional shift in plant use whereby crop processing was not as intensive on-site relative to earlier time periods.…”

“…Cucumis melo), neither of which is currently attested at Kurd Qaburstan (Wengrow et al 2016). In contrast, however, plant remains recovered from LB tannurs at Helawa contained a variety of cereal grains (including sizeable amounts of Hordeum vulgare, Triticum dicoccum, and T. aestivum/durum grain along with numerous wheat and barley chaff parts), a variety of abundant weeds, and sheep and goat dung pellets, collectively suggesting the use of dung fuel (Peyronel et al 2019). It is possible that differing cleaning practices partially contributed to the difference.…”

The Later Prehistory of the Shahrizor Plain, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Further Investigations at Gurga Chiya and Tepe Marani

“…Although Peyronel and Vacca note that “clear LC1 markers of the Iraqi Jezira and Tigris piedmont ceramic horizon (such as Sprig Ware jars and bowls, U-shaped urns and footed bowls; Rothman 2001, fig. 10: 1) have not been found in any of the collection units of the Helawa survey” (2015: 111), excavations at Helawa have revealed levels with discrete LC2 and LC1 assemblages, respectively Phases 3–4 and Phase 5 (Peyronel and Vacca forthcoming). This implies that the LC1 was not “skipped” there as it appears to have been at Gurga Chiya, though Peyronel and Vacca (forthcoming) also note that the Phase 5 material includes painted motifs derived from the Ubaid.…”