More Fire Installations from Abu Salabikh

Abstract

This paper looks at a group of fire installations in a preliminary attempt to analyse an economic sub-system which played some part in the life of a third millennium town in Southern Mesopotamia. It is hoped that this analysis may identify some problems which will be relevant when considering the direction of future research strategy at that site. The fire installations in question all come from the area of Abu Salabikh known as 5I; this area lies in the dip of the saddle between two higher areas, Area A to the North, and Area E to the South. Area A is occupied by houses of ED III date and Area E by a public building of similar date. 5I is entirely different in character, the walls of the buildings are thinner, the plans less regular and we appear to be in an area of private housing with a number of narrow lanes. The pottery from the area is of ED I date and there is some evidence from the plans for rebuilding which suggests that here at least the period was of some duration. This is reinforced by the presence of a grave (Grave 193) which contains some typically ED I pottery but which was dug from a level completely eroded away.