Excavations at Tell Brak 1985-86

Abstract

The seventh and eighth seasons of excavation at Tell Brak took place from mid-March to early June of 1985 and 1986 respectively. The expedition was sponsored by the Institute of Archaeology, University of London, and the Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres, Université de Liège. It was financed by generous grants from the National Geographic Society, the British School of Archaeology in Iraq, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (H. Dunscombe Colt Archaeological Institute Gift and Armida Colt Gift), and the Crowther-Beynon and C. H. W. Johns Funds of Cambridge University. The staff in 1985 consisted of the writer as Director and architect, Dr. Joan Oates (Assistant Director in charge of pottery and small finds), Jean-Marc Meunier (Assistant Director for field operations), Jenny Oates who recorded and drew much of the pottery, Noël Siver, an expert conservator, and Susan Oates, archaeological assistant. Site supervisors were Dr. Irving Finkel (also epigraphist), Nicolas Cauwe, Jean-Philippe Marchal, Michael Shaw and Simon Hardy. In 1986 Jean-Marc Meunier was unable to join us, but we are assured of his valuable help in 1987. Site supervisors in 1986 were Nicolas Cauwe, Jean-Marc Léotard, Nicholas Illingworth (also epigraphist) and Andrew Sargent. Susan Gill gave valuable assistance with the excavation register and the recording of the pottery. Dr. Dietrich Sürenhagen spent a month with us in each of the two seasons, and both his experience as an excavator and his wide knowledge of Uruk materials were extremely helpful to us. Dr. Jonathan Hodgkin, who has worked with us both at Tell al Rimah and Tell Brak in past years, again devoted his annual holiday to assist us as a site supervisor on the Mitanni palace, and his contribution was invaluable. We were especially pleased in 1986 to receive a visit from our President, Lady Mallowan. Her wide knowledge of seals and cuneiform texts was a major contribution to the work of the expedition.