Tell Abraq
Encyclopedia
Tell Abraq was an ancient Near Eastern city. It was originally
on the coastline of the Persian Gulf.
Helenistic times in the 1st Millenium BC. Significant construction activity
began circa 2500 BC associated with the start of the Umm an-Nar Culture
.
In the 2nd Millenium it was associated with the Wadi Suq culture.
The location of Tell Abraq made it a key transhipment point between
Mesopotamia
, the area made up of modern day Iran, and the
Indus Valley Civilization
. Harapan
weights and pottery were
found there. The presence of Barbar pottery shows contact with Bahrain.
This area has been proposed as the location of Magan known from
Mesopotamian cuneiform sources.
The site was excavated in 5 seasons between 1989 and 1998 by
a team from the University of Copenhagen
in Denmark
led by
Daniel Potts.
Work was resumed in 2006 by a joint team from the Bryn Mawr College
and the University of Tubingen led by Peter Magee.
A tomb at the site, 6 meters in diameter, was built and reused between 2200 BC and 2000 BC, roughly cotemporal with the Ur III Empire. There were 413
remains in the tomb. A number of archaeological finds were recovered
with the remains including copper implements and linen. A large stone tower was also built at that time, having a diameter of about 40 meters. A platform
of dirt was built over the tower in the Iron Age, preserving it.
on the coastline of the Persian Gulf.
History
The site was occupied from the mid 3rd Millennium BC to just beforeHelenistic times in the 1st Millenium BC. Significant construction activity
began circa 2500 BC associated with the start of the Umm an-Nar Culture
Umm an-Nar Culture
Umm an-Nar is the name given to a bronze age culture that existed from 2600-2000 BC in modern day United Arab Emirates and Northern Oman. The etymology derives from the island of the same name which lies adjacent to Abu Dhabi. . The key site is well protected, but its location between a refinery...
.
In the 2nd Millenium it was associated with the Wadi Suq culture.
The location of Tell Abraq made it a key transhipment point between
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, the area made up of modern day Iran, and the
Indus Valley Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
. Harapan
Harapan
Harapan is the fifth studio album from Malaysian singer Francissca Peter released in 1988. -Awards and recognitions:* The album released by Warner Music Malaysia achieves Platinum status....
weights and pottery were
found there. The presence of Barbar pottery shows contact with Bahrain.
This area has been proposed as the location of Magan known from
Mesopotamian cuneiform sources.
Archaeology
The mound is about 1.5 hectares in area and reaches a maximum heaight of around 10 meters.The site was excavated in 5 seasons between 1989 and 1998 by
a team from the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
led by
Daniel Potts.
Work was resumed in 2006 by a joint team from the Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
and the University of Tubingen led by Peter Magee.
A tomb at the site, 6 meters in diameter, was built and reused between 2200 BC and 2000 BC, roughly cotemporal with the Ur III Empire. There were 413
remains in the tomb. A number of archaeological finds were recovered
with the remains including copper implements and linen. A large stone tower was also built at that time, having a diameter of about 40 meters. A platform
of dirt was built over the tower in the Iron Age, preserving it.
See also
- Cities of the ancient Near EastCities of the ancient Near EastThe largest cities in the Bronze Age ancient Near East housed several tens of thousands. Memphis in the Early Bronze Age with some 30,000 inhabitants was the largest city of the time by far...
- Barbar TempleBarbar templeThe Barbar Temple is an archaeological site located in the village of Barbar, Bahrain, and considered to be part of the Dilmun culture. The most recent of the three Barbar temples was rediscovered by a Danish archaeological team in 1954. A further two temples were discovered on the site with the...
- Dibba Al-HisnDibba Al-HisnDibba Al-Hisn is an enclave of the emirate of Al-Sharjah, one of the seven of the United Arab Emirates. It is bordered by the Gulf of Oman from the East, Dibba Al-Baya from the North, and Dibba Al-Fujairah from the South. It is also geographically part of the Dibba region. It is the smallest in...