9. On the Edge of Mesopotamia: The Presence of Uruk and Uruk-related Material Culture in the Upper Tigris Region

Abstract

Debates about the explanation of the existence of Uruk material culture in northern Mesopotamia and Iran have been one of the most interesting archaeological topics of the last fifty years. However, the suggestions explaining the existence of Uruk material culture in neighbouring regions are based on data mostly obtained from excavations in the Euphrates area due to the abundance of such projects. Archaeological projects conducted in the Upper Tigris Region for the past decades reveal exciting data regarding the interaction with Uruk culture. Due to its geopolitical location, the Upper Tigris Region is an intersection area for the Mesopotamian, Syrian, and East Anatolian cultures. While archaeological projects between Diyarbakır and Batman subregions are mostly focused on the areas with high agricultural potential around Upper Tigris, the studies conducted on the line of the Batman-Siirt subregion concentrate on water systems connected to the Tigris such as the Botan and the Garzan close to mountainous areas. These geopolitical features enabled the formation of subregions developing in different dimensions and dynamics within the region during the Late Uruk Period. This paper focuses on the Uruk phenomenon in archaeological settlements of the Upper Tigris Region, another lifeblood of Mesopotamia.