The remains of Shamshara Hill and the ancient city of Shusharra (in the light of archaeological evidence and cuneiform sources)

Abstract

Abstract: Tell Shemshara is located on the right bank of the Little Zab River, 8 km east of the town of Rania. It is consider one of the most important archaeological hills, dating back to the Neolithic period. Large parts of the hill were flooded during the completion of a water project in the Dukan Dam, and because of the importance of the site, local excavation teams and foreign missions excavated in it, in which rare archaeological materials were founded, including many clay tablets, which were the last, these are letters sent to (Kuwari), the ruler of Shushara. Excavations in it have revealed 16 archaeological layers of different archaeological periods, the oldest of which are layers 14-15-16, which date back to the time of the village of Charmo (7000 B.C.) It contains mud houses, while layers 9-13 have revealed houses, seals, adornment tools such as jewelry and bracelets, bones, tombs, domesticated animals and colored and ornate pottery, dating back to the era of Tel Hassuna (5000 B.C). The Shemshara archive dating back to the rule of the Assyrian King Šamši-Adad I was also founded. Shemshara has strategic location in the northeastern corner of the Rania plain in the Zagros Mountains gave Shemshara control of travel routes in all directions, and it made it an important area in which all the elements of civilization are available, and where the Hurrian civilization flourished. The aim of the study is to refer to the history of Shemshara- Šušarra and to analyze the archaeological finds discovered and Šušarra in the light of cuneiform texts. Keywords: Tell Shemshara, Dukan dam, discovered tablets, Šušarra City, Kwari.