Excavations at Tell Brak 1992-93

Abstract

The 13th and 14th seasons in the current series of campaigns at Tell Brak took place from the middle of March to the end of May in 1992 and 1993 respectively. The work was sponsored and generously supported by the McDonald Institute of Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge. Generous contributions were also received from the National Geographic Society, the British Academy and the British School of Archaeology in Iraq. We must once again express our gratitude to our sponsors and also to Dr Ali Abou Assaf, Director General of Antiquities and Museums, to Dr Adnan Bounni, Director of Excavations, and to their staff in Damascus, Aleppo, Deir ez Zor and Hasake for their constant and friendly support. Sayid Ibrahim Murad served us well as Representative of the Directorate General in both years.The writers acted respectively as Director and architect and as Deputy Director with special responsibility for photography and for pottery and other small finds. In 1992 Dr Jesper Eidem and Dr John MacGinnis acted as epigraphists and also served as site supervisors; other site supervisors were Mr Geoffrey Emberling, Mr Nicholas Jackson, Mr Alan Lupton, Dr Roger Matthews, Miss Penelope Spikins and Professor T. Cuyler Young, Jr. In 1993 Roger Matthews and Alan Lupton were again with us, and we were also joined by Dr Augusta McMahon, Professor Dietrich Sürenhagen and Mr David Thomas. Dr Wendy Matthews took charge of micromorphological sampling and helped with the pottery in both seasons, as did Miss Helen McDonald, who has now completed five seasons as our efficient registrar and draughtsman. Our very capable and hard-working conservator in 1992 and 1993 was Miss Fiona Macalister. We were also pleased to welcome Dr. Charly French, who is in charge of the soil micromorphology and environmental programme, and who was able to visit us for the first week of the 1993 season. We are extremely grateful to them all.