Mesopotamian Plain Research Articles

Monitoring Soil Degradation in The Mesopotamian Plain Using GIS and Remote sensing Techniques

In the present work , various remote sensing techniques have been used to investigate soil degradation in Iraq (The Mesopotamian plain) for the period (1976 - 2021) using different research and data like satellite image such as (Landsat 1-5 MSS 1976 , Landsat 4-5 TM C1 Level-1 1996, Landsat 8 2016 and sentinel-2 2021 ) , using different Program and software (ENVI 5.3 which extract data from image satellite by using TCT , EMI and NDVI indicators , Eras image 2015 use to subset area of interest ,layer stack and merge resolution , Arc GIS 10.7 use to make database and maps production ),the article use some of filters and indicators , Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Elian Mapping Index (EMI), Tasseled Cap Transformation (TCT) to extract a set of indicators (area of vegetation cover (NDVI), soil erosion index (EMI) , classification of wet and dry soils, and water cover calculation (TCT), the article will be calculate the areas accurately to know the type and causes of degradation by comparing those lands with past years by observing them with satellites for different years (advanced remote sensing techniques).

Remote sensing applications for the assessment of the geomorphic response of fluvial systems to the Holocene Climate Changes

During the Holocene, the Tigris-Euphrates river system (Lower Mesopotamian Plain) was characterized by a complex morphodynamic due to climatic fluctuations, shoreline shifting, and human activities. Within a wide and barren floodplain with low elevation ranges, a remote sensing multi-sensor approach is suitable to identify the main geomorphological features and associated geomorphic processes. Optical and multispectral imagery (TerraColor and Landsat 8) are adopted for the preliminary visual inspection and the computation of multispectral indices (NDVI and Clay Ratio), as well as for the supervised classification. The topographic analysis of the micro- relief is integrated reclassifying two DEMs (AW30D30 and GDEM2) to highlight the peculiar configuration of the drainage system, which channels are several meters above the surrounding floodplain. This approach allows the investigation of the study area through large and medium scale, identifying active and abandoned channels, discerning between active and abandoned avulsion processes and distinguishing crevasse channels, levees, and deposits. In like manner, human features are recognized, allowing the evaluation of human- environmental interactions.

The use of particle size distribution integrated with consistency limits for experimentally simulating fine-grained sedimentary units

The current study hypothesizes that reproducing sediment units that might belong to areas difficult to reach, sample, and attest is experimentally possible. The research aims to employ available sediment samples named source soils that can easily approach and sample to mix, simulate, and produce the (non-available) sedimentary units named Target Sediment Units (TSU). The particle size distribution (PSD) percentages are essentially used in the mixture procedure to construct the non-available (target) units (TSU). Several sedimentary units were targeted, designed, and simulated; They include marsh, bay mud, and natural levee sediment units selected from the eastern Basrah side at the lower Mesopotamian plain, southern Iraq. The matching between particle size distribution (PSD) curves of simulated sediment units (SSU) and target sediment unit (TSU) was verified by applying a developed slope proximity ratio. For the three tested sediment units (marsh, buy mud, and natural levee), the ratios of slope proximity were 1.0, 0.93, and 0.99, respectively, which are well matched. For the mineralogy, the consistency limits were used as a proxy. The Casagrande plasticity chart was modified to reveal two empirical functions linking the plasticity indices to the clay mineral groups. The two predictions are reliable means to proxy the mineralogy of the fine-grained sediments. Reconstructing procedure allows the non-available sediment samples to be practically presented and it better characterizes the sediment for forensic geoscience applications; for instance, engineering geology and sedimentology applications concerning with studies of the physical and mechanical behaviors of sediments and the depositional conditions interpretations, respectively.

Geomorphology, Stratigraphy and Tectonics of the Mesopotamian Plain, Iraq: A Critical Review

The Mesopotamian Plain is part of the Mesopotamia which extends for vast area bigger than the plain. The plain is almost flat and vast lowland, which has clearly defined physiographic boundaries with the other surrounding physiographic provinces. The plain is a huge accumulation geomorphologic unit, where the fluvial, lacustrine, and the Aeolian landforms prevail; the fluvial units being the abundant among others. However, estuarine and marine forms also are developed, but restricted to the extreme southeastern reaches of the plain. The Mesopotamian Plain is covered totally by Quaternary sediments among which the fluvial origin is the most prevailing and more specifically the flood plain sediments. The flood plain sediments are the Holocene in age, whereas the Pleistocene sediments are restricted to alluvial fan sediments and river terraces. The flood plain sediments cover majority of the Mesopotamian Plain, whereas the alluvial sediments are restricted to the northern–eastern, western and southern peripheral parts only. Different geomorphological features indicate the Neotectonic activity in the plain, such as migrations of rivers due to growing of subsurface anticlines. The extreme southeastern part is covered by the tidal flat and sabkha sediments. Marshes and shallow depressions are also covered by the Holocene sediments which are contaminated by the Aeolian sediments. Mesopotamian Plain is a part of the Mesopotamian Foredeep which is a part of the Zagros Foreland Basin including the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt. It is large continuously subsiding basin since the Upper Miocene (11.62 Ma). The plain shows no structural features on the surface, except the main fault escarpment representing the part of Abu Jir Active Fault Zone. However, the rolling topography, in the northern parts of the plain indicates subsurface anticlines that are still growing up, such as Balad, Samarra, Tikrit and Baiji anticlines indicating the Neotectonic activity. Moreover, many buried subsurface anticlines are present in different parts of the plain. All of them are growing anticlines and have caused continuous shift to Tigris and Euphrates rivers and their distributaries indicating the Neotectonic activities. The minimum and maximum subsidence amounts in the plain since the Upper Miocene are zero and –2500 m, respectively.

Archaeology, Epigraphy, Philology

Archaeology, Epigraphy, Philology William J. Urbrock, Christopher T. Begg, John R. Spencer, and Victor H. Matthews William J. Urbrock University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Christopher T. Begg Catholic University of America John R. Spencer John Carroll University Victor H. Matthews Missouri State University 1903. [Arad Altars] Anonymous, "High Offerings," BARev 46 (5, 2020) 16. A recent residue analysis of two incense altars found at the site of the 8th-cent. b.c.e. temple at Arad has revealed traces of frankincense mixed with animal fat on the larger altar [End Page 709] and cannabis and animal dung on the smaller. This is the first discovery of frankincense in an archaeological context in ancient Israel or Judah and an unexpected find of cannabis, which is not mentioned in the Bible. Photo-illustrated. See also #1907.—W.J.U. Google Scholar 1904. [Oil Lamps, Pit Burial Caves; Hasmonean Period Judean Ethnic Identity] Omri Y. Abadi and Eyal Regev, "Folded wheel-made oil lamps, standing pit burial caves and Judean ethnic identity in the Hasmonean period," PEQ 152 (3, 2020) 248-72. Two distinct archaeological phenomena emerged between the middle of the 2nd cent. b.c.e. and the middle of the first cent. b.c.e.: the Hasmonean folded wheel-made lamp and the standing pit burial cave. Following an examination of the dating, distribution, and social significance of these phenomena, we suggest that these items of material culture were characteristic of Judean Jews during the above period and reflect the process of ethnic identity formation. The fact that the Hasmonean wheel-made lamp and the standing pit burial cave were typical of Jews in Judea in this time indicates that these phenomena constituted ethnic features of Jewish society. In their use of these items, Jews emphasized their dissimilarity from the rest of the population. The archaic appearance of the lamps and the burial caves, which replicate the cultural characteristics of the Kingdom of Judah during the monarchic/First Temple period, indicates that Jewish society in the Hasmonean period sought to legitimize its existence through the use of earlier culture and the memory of this. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 1905. [Kāmid el-Lōz] Jihad Al-Daire, "Kāmid el-Lōz: Typology of Iron Age Cooking Pots in the Perspective of R. Hachmann's Excavations 1963–1981," ZDPV 136 (1, 2020) 21-49. This study focuses on the cooking pots that have been found in the Iron Age levels at the site of its title. In particular, the study explores the typology of these cooking pots and seeks to shed light on the development of the cooking pot tradition in the eight Iron Age levels at the site. In addition, I review the dating of the Building Periods at the site suggested by the site's excavator, R. Hachmann. In so doing, I adduce archaeological parallels from various sites in the southern Levant which highlight the technological and morphological similarities of cooking pots throughout the southern Levant during the Iron Age. Finally, I argue that the cooking pots from the above site should be dated to the Iron Age I and II periods. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] Google Scholar 1906. [Digital Methods for the Study of Flat Archaeological Sites] Mark Altaweel, "The importance of flat archaeological sites in the Age of Empires and new digital methods for their identification and analysis," The Reach of the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires, 7-23 [see #2534]. In the Age of Empires of the first millennium b.c.e. when large, major urban centers dominated the plains of Mesopotamia and the coastal regions of the Mediterranean, the rural landscape began to transform as well, with settlements often located away from traditional, mounded sites. Finding these sites can be challenging, but it is not impossible. However, the mountainous regions in Iraq and its neighboring areas present special methodological challenges in this regard. Many of the sites occupied in the above period were flat and low, making them less visible in surveys and even in satellite-based remote sensing data. Machine-learning techniques and the use of point pattern...

Irrigation projects in Iraq

Iraq has a unique irrigation system since the early history, these systems are functioning through many irrigation projects built over `Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Irrigation projects include several categories, which are dams, barrages, canals, drains, pumping stations, regulators, and reservoirs. There are six large dams inside Iraq, 5 are existing in Tigris basin, and one in Euphrates basin, these dams which were built since 1950’s are suffering from several issues, like foundation liquefaction, seismic effects, and others. Tharthar Lake, Habbaniyah Lake, Razzaza Lake, and Southern Marshes are also one of the main projects in Iraq to control flood and storing excess water in some. These lakes serve in protection of the main cities during large floods. There are also many barrages on Tigris and Euphrates, some of these barrages are part of Tharthar and Habbaniyah projects, while others serving the irrigation projects in Mesopotamia. On Euphrates, there are several irrigation projects, where the projects upstream Fallujah city are almost small or medium projects irrigated by pumping. Then, in the rest of Euphrates, there are Great Abu Ghraib project, Great Mussayab, HillaKifil, some small projects, and Kifil-Shinafiyah projects. Also, Hilla branch which is the largest branch in Iraq from Euphrates, where this branch is irrigating several irrigation projects. On Tigris basin, there are Jazeera project irrigated by pumping from Mosul Dam, Kirkuk project that is irrigated from Lesser Zab River, and Diyala are projects. Inside Mesopotamia and over Tigris reach, there are Ishaqi project, Nahrawan project, Middle Tigris projects, Dujailah project, Dalmaj project, and Gharraf Canal projects. In the middle of Mesopotamian plain, Main Outfall Drain was completed in 1992, this grand drain are serving around 6 million donum of farmlands. Keywords: Dams, Barrages, Irrigation canals, Iraq.

The Impact of Land Use Change on Perform (Soil-Water) System in Middle Part of Mesopotamian Plain

In spite of hydrology and geology disciplines` are relatively well known in Iraqi management strategy, unlike soil and its distribution system. Thus, describing strong indicator for evaluating water pathways, minerals, and materials in different soils is necessary to reduce the associated risks. However, the aim of this research is identified the change in soil behavior by observation, and interpretation the facts for effective indication mode. This mode is evaluated some features and properties in (soil- water) horizons from a focus on land use change in (e.g built up and rural) areas compared with riparian sites in middle region of Iraq. The evaluation is included field sampling by using `Drill auger` instrument and laboratory tests for analysis. The results areinterpreted as onset of soil impairment indices under changing in human activities, agricultural practices, climate change and effect of water movement. The elements are considerably bound with silt and clay particles which ultimately minimize leaching ability to lower layers in each horizon. The free access of water and air allows rapid oxidation of elements and caused materials corrosion and the output of leaches which can contaminate ground water and surface water. Besides, some elements are negatively correlated with concentrations of calcium carbonate. The content of sulfur compound in assorted land uses is uneven and increased with increase water content or agitating time. Also, the sulfur oxidation even if small proportion in fill material lead to the output of polluted drainage water and attack construction material when structural backfill and for bulk fill. Thus, its significant to consider these features for ameliorative engineering behavior.

Crustal Structure of the Mesopotamian Plain, East of Iraq

AbstractThe crustal structure of Iraq was investigated through analyzing teleseismic data from 12 new seismic stations. Three seismic stations are located within the Zagros Fold‐Thrust Belt, and nine are within the Mesopotamian Plain. Joint inversion of P wave receiver function and Rayleigh wave dispersion data were employed to resolve S wave velocity structure models beneath each station. Combining these models with available Moho depths within and around the study area reveals that the Moho depth is smoothly increasing from the Arabian platform toward the Zagros Mountains. An exceptional deeper root is observed near the eastern edge of the Mesopotamian Plain where sedimentary pile is the thickest. This root was interpreted as a structure inherited from the successive Mesozoic rifting of the NE Arabian platform enhanced by sedimentary loading and progressive subsidence. A low‐velocity uppermost mantle was observed beneath the Arabian Foredeep attesting the existence of a low‐strength lithospheric mantle beneath the region southwest from the Zagros deformation front. The weak rheology of the uppermost mantle may have allowed local sinking of the crust and deepening of the Moho boundary due to vertical loading and the Late Miocene lateral contraction.

ВОИНА И СОСТОЯНИЯ ЗДОРОВЬЯ НАСЕЛЕНИЕ ИРАКА

Iraq, or the Republic of Iraq, lies in western Asia encircling the Mesopotamian plain, the northwestern part of the Zagros mountain range and the eastern branch of the Syrian desert. Syria lies on the northwest border of Iraq, Turkey is to the north, Iran is east, and Jordan is to the west. It has a narrow coastline of about 58km at the North Persian Gulf. More than 15 years ago, a war broke out in Iraq, which turned into a disaster for the entire region. Armed conflict entailed massive displacement in Iraq. The United Nations estimates that 1.8 million people have been displaced since early August, 850,000 of them in the north of the country. Large groups of people were forced to move up to 3 times - all this has caused serious health risks that the government and international agencies led by WHO seek to eliminate. Iraq is experiencing internal instability. On the one hand, it is caused by environmental conditions, including due to the fact that Turkey blocked all the water flowing into Iraq through the Euphrates River, as well as due to environmental pollution in Iraq itself. The Iraq War destroyed an estimated 12% of hospitals and Iraq's two main public health laboratories. The collapse of sanitation infrastructure in 2003 led to an increased incidence of cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever. Malnutrition and childhood diseases. The people of Iraq face a mixture of health hazards associated with poverty. Children, adolescents, women, the elderly, disabled people and those who are chronically ill are at particular risk. 8 The primary causes of the high burden of communicable disease among children are acute lower respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases and measles. (see Children's health). Lack of adequate sanitation and clean drinking water lead to a high risk of diarrhoea outbreaks Major causes of death in children in Iraq The three major killers in children are acute lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia; diarrheal diseases; and measles. Child death rates due to acute lower respiratory infections and diarrhoea have increased over the last decade. These conditions account for 70% of deaths in children under five years of age.

New records of planktonic foraminifera in the Shuaiba Formation (Aptian Age), Mesopotamian plain, South of Iraq

Shuaiba Formation is an important formation in Iraq, because of their deposition in the important period during the geological history of Arabian plate. The study is focused on a number of selected wells from several fields in southern Iraq, despite the many of oil studies to Shuaiba Formation but it lacks to paleontological studies. Four selected wells are chosen for the current study, Zb-290, Ru-358, R-624, WQ1-353, the selected wells are located within different fields, these are Zubair, Rumaila and West Qurna Oil Fields. In this study fourteen species followed to genus Hedbergella were discovered for first time as well as three genera followed to genus Heterohelix in the Shuaiba Formation at the different oil fields, Hedbergella tunisiensis Range Zone is suggested biozone to the current study, the age of this biozone is Aptian, most of the other genera located within this zone.

A late Holocene molluscan-based palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from southern Mesopotamia: Implications for the palaeogeographic evolution of the Arabo-Persian Gulf

This study provides important tie-point sequences that allow better constraint on the timing and position of the marine transgression of the Arabo-Persian Gulf in southern Mesopotamia east of the ancient site of Ur in Iraq. The Mesopotamian civilisation contains the oldest city states known in the world and many other significant archaeological sites. It remains, however, an open question about the nature of the water resources that were available to these civilisations. Whilst the most northerly extent of the Arabo-Persian Gulf has been dated to ca. 6000 BP, it is much less clear how quickly the deltas of the Tigris, Euphrates and Karun infilled what is now the southern Mesopotamian Plain. Specifically, the position of the coastline is unclear at ca. 5000 BP when key city states such as Ur were founded, and also ca. 3000 BP at the start of the dynastic period, with various authors differing strongly. This is important to uncover because human populations are strongly dependent on water resources, both freshwater for drinking and washing, and freshwater and marine for naturally-occurring sources of protein from fish and wildfowl. This study addresses these concerns by the study of two sedimentary cores from locations further north than any previous studies. We have undertaken the first ever detailed molluscan analysis from such sequences in this region. This is combined with four radiocarbon dates and some indication of pollen abundance from a very sparse assemblage. Results from our study suggest that the coastline was further north than previously suggested at ca. 3000 BP, with rapid regression after this time.

Applicability of Horton model and recharge evaluation in irrigated arid Mesopotamian soils of Hashimiya, Iraq

The drawbacks of Horton model for infiltration potential estimate in arid regions are a serious problem the hydrologists are facing. Horton model is inapplicable in regions of initial rainfall intensities less than initial infiltration capacity of soils as basically outlined by Horton. Four infiltration models including Horton are adopted to evaluate their validity for infiltration potential estimate namely as Horton, power, polynomial, and mixed fitting models. Infiltration field measurements by double ring infiltrometer, and geotechnical investigations for soils to estimating infiltration rate, specific gravity, and bulk density were conducted at Hashimiya area of 110 km2. The entire area was divided into nine administrative sectors namely as Jerboeyia, Hashyimia, Niwedra, Tebra, Sada, Zineyia, H3, Fayadhiya, and Bazul due to spatial hydrology. Geologically, the area consists of Mesopotamian plain which comprises the recent river sediments of Tigris and Euphrates, which consists of silts and clays and stacked river channel sands with occasional marsh deposits. The power model offers best fit to the measured infiltration with correlation coefficient of 0.996, whereas polynomial, mixed fitting, and Horton models offer 0.947, 0.958, and 0.84 respectively. Moreover, Horton model offers less infiltration potentials for both dry and wet seasons of 3 and 1 mm/day causing a rise in the average groundwater levels equal to 8.4 and 2.8 mm/day respectively. Similarly, the average infiltration potentials estimated by power model for both dry and wet seasons were 3.55 and 1.19 mm/day to rise in the average groundwater levels 9.88 and 3.31 mm/day respectively. These models create a paradigm for hydrology and environmental sustainability.

Abbas Alizadeh. Ancient Settlement Systems and Cultures in the Ram Hormuz Plain, Southwestern Iran

Tall-e Geser boasts a long stratigraphic sequence from the 5th millennium to the Safavid period, broken only during the 700-800 years following the Proto-Elamite period, and it remains the only excavated site in the strategically important Ram Hormuz region connecting the Mesopotamian plain and Susiana with the Zagros highlands. However, the two seasons of excavation at the site led by Donald E. McCown in 1948/49 under the auspices of the Oriental Institute were never published. For this volu...

SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE PROPERTIES OF SOIL TAXONOMY UNITS DOMINANT IN SAQLAWIYAH PROJECT

The area under study is located at the lower of resent Mesopotamian plain of Euphrates river, located between longitude 43 35 to 43 35 East and latitude 33 22 to 33 27 North with area (3445.38 ha.) at 169 path and 37 row of Landsat-5 taken by Thematic Mapper image sensor (TM). The space images taken during the year 1985, were used ERDAS V.8.2 and GIS V.9.2 Software. using data of soil survey report.A study show ability of Spectral reflectance to detecting the Aridisols and Entisols and can be also detecting sub- great group at Typic Haplogypsids and Typic Haplosalids taxonomy units appeared to be distinguished and isolated. While there were difficult to detecting and identification between Vertic Torrifluvents and Typic Torrifluvents.

Depositional evolution of the Lower Khuzestan plain (SW Iran) since the end of the Late Pleistocene

A detailed sedimentological investigation of sixty-six cores supported by radiocarbon age determination enabled the reconstruction of the depositional environmental evolution since the end of the Late Pleistocene in the Iranian part of the Mesopotamian plain. Both fluvial and estuarine environments have been identified on the basis of the sediment characteristics and their between-core stratigraphic correlations. At the end of the Late Pleistocene the fluvial behaviour allowed only the deposition of sand. Prior to 12400–12040 yr cal BP the palaeohydraulics changed by which heterolithic fluvial facies were deposited. Shortly after 12400 - 12040 yr cal BP an erosional phase caused the incision of depressions most probably because of a climate change to further arid conditions. In the early Holocene, mud-dominated river systems filled the depressions; a situation that lasted at least until 7900 - 7700 yr cal BP. After this period tides invaded via the active channels in the downstream part of the area, which turned into an estuarine environment for a period of about 2000–2500 years. Tidal influence diminished and stopped around 5000 yr cal BP because of progradation. Fluvial processes dominated again the sedimentary environment in the study area, except at the southern margin of it where tides controlled, although very locally, the environment.

English

Geodiversity is the variety within abiotic natural elements that include: rocks, minerals, landforms, soil types, and water resources. Recently ecologists and naturalists recognized that there is close relationship between geodiversity and ecosystems. Huwaiza marsh is located south eastern Iraq within Lower Mesopotamian plain. The main rock bed units which crop out north east of the studied area comprises many types of rocks: conglomerate, sandstone, mudstone, siltstone and claystone belong to Bai Hassan, Mukdadiya and Injana Formations. The general elevation of the area ranges around 5 meters (a. s. l.) near the marsh and increase northeast to more than 100 meters (a. s. l.) and the Land forms are: cuesta, oxbow lakes, flood plain, water lake, shallow marshes, mud flats, and sand dunes. Soil (sediments) usually derived from north east rock bed units and from rivers, which are composed of gravel, sand, silt and silty clay. Huwaiza Marsh is provided by water resources from Musharah and Kahlaa distributaries in addition to Al- Teeb and Duwaireeg rivers which enter Al- Sanaf seasonal marsh, then after to Huwaiza Marsh. The later has 1377 km2 during rainy season and 650 km2 during dry season. Geodiversity created diverse ecosystems such as: desert (including sand dune), salt flat (sabkha), mud flats and aqueous ecosystem that provided good flora and fauna diversity of which wide range of plant and animal species use the area. Such geodiversity formed the foundation in creation three main terrestrial ecoregions in this area of Iraq. Huwaiza marsh and adjacent area can be used for scientific researches, education, traditional agricultural, ecotourism and for other sustainable developments. Vertebrate biodiversity comprises 27 mammals, 81 birds, 6 reptiles, 3 amphibians, and 9 freshwater fishes. The characteristic vertebrates of each habitat of Huwaiza marsh were indicated. Of interest among them is the presence of African Darter Anhinga rufa in Deep-water marsh habitat; Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis, Goliath heron Ardea goliath, and smooth coated otter Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli in shallow water marsh habitat.

On the Snake Fauna of Central and Southern Iraq and Some Zoogeographic Remarks

Central and southern Iraq in the area adjacent to and between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as Mesopotamian plain. The Mesopotamian plain is a geological depression filled with rivers sediments which covers the central and southern part of Iraq. It is plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, beings north of Baghdad and extends to southern Iraq, bordered by High Mountain in the east, desert from the west, and Persian Gulf from the south. An area of diverse physical features leading to rich biodiversity. An investigation of the status of snakes in central and southern Iraq was carried out from September 2013 to May 2015. A total of 138 specimens were collected and identified. Five families, 13 genera, and 17 species are represented, including Lyptotyphlopidae: Lyptotyphlops macrorhyncha (Jan, 1861); Boidae: Eryx jaculus jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758), Eryx jaculus familiaris Eichwald, 1831, Eryx cf. miliaris (Pallas, 1773); Lamprophiidae: Psammophis schokari (Forsskål, 1775), Malpolon insignitus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827), Rhagerhis moilensis (Reuss, 1834); Colubridae: Dolichophis cf. caspius (Gmelin, 1789), Dolichophis jugularis (Linnaeus 1785), Dolichophis cf. schmidti (Nikolsky, 1909), Spalerosophis diadema cliffordi (Schlegel, 1837), Platyceps ventromaculatus (Gray, 1834), Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768); and Viperidae: Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi K. Schmidt, 1930, Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758), Cerastes gasperettii gasperettii Leviton et Anderson, 1967, and Echis carinatus Stemmler, 1969. According to the literature, 41 species of snakes were found in Iraq and according to the results of this survey 17 species and subspecies (~41%) of them occur in central and southern Iraq. Of these, 10 species are aglypha, 3 species opisthoglypha and 4 species proteroglypha. This study was conducted in 27 sampling localities and these project areas represent typical environment and climate of the central and southern regions of Iraq.

On the Snake Fauna of Central and Southern Iraq and Some Zoogeographic Remarks

Central and southern Iraq in the area adjacent to and between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as Mesopotamian plain. The Mesopotamian plain is a geological depression filled with rivers sediments which covers the central and southern part of Iraq. It is plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, beings north of Baghdad and extends to southern Iraq, bordered by High Mountain in the east, desert from the west, and Persian Gulf from the south. An area of diverse physical features leading to rich biodiversity. An investigation of the status of snakes in central and southern Iraq was carried out from September 2013 to May 2015. A total of 138 specimens were collected and identified. Five families, 13 genera, and 17 species are represented, including Lyptotyphlopidae: Lyptotyphlops macrorhyncha (Jan, 1861); Boidae: Eryx jaculus jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758), Eryx jaculus familiaris Eichwald, 1831, Eryx cf. miliaris (Pallas, 1773); Lamprophiidae: Psammophis schokari (Forsskål, 1775), Malpolon insignitus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827), Rhagerhis moilensis (Reuss, 1834); Colubridae: Dolichophis cf. caspius (Gmelin, 1789), Dolichophis jugularis (Linnaeus 1785), Dolichophis cf. schmidti (Nikolsky, 1909), Spalerosophis diadema cliffordi (Schlegel, 1837), Platyceps ventromaculatus (Gray, 1834), Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768); and Viperidae: Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi K. Schmidt, 1930, Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758), Cerastes gasperettii gasperettii Leviton et Anderson, 1967, and Echis carinatus Stemmler, 1969. According to the literature, 41 species of snakes were found in Iraq and according to the results of this survey 17 species and subspecies (~41%) of them occur in central and southern Iraq. Of these, 10 species are aglypha, 3 species opisthoglypha and 4 species proteroglypha. This study was conducted in 27 sampling localities and these project areas represent typical environment and climate of the central and southern regions of Iraq.

The neotectonics of southeast Turkey, northern Syria, and Iraq: the internal structure of the Southeast Anatolian Wedge and its relationship with recent earthquakes

In southeastern Turkey, northern Syria, and Iraq, the Southeast Anatolian Wedge (SEAW) is recognized as lying between the high altitude Bitlis-Zagros Suture Zone and the Sincar Mountains on the Mesopotamian plain. This wedge narrows towards the south and contains several thrust and blind thrust zones merging with the basal thrust zone. These zones are determined mainly by locations of fault-propagation folding that generally limit the Plio-Quaternary/Quaternary plains in the region. The positions of these active thrust/blind thrust zones and their relationships to the right and left lateral faults may be used to explain the seismic activity of the region.

A STUDY ON A SPECIFIC TYPE OF POTTERY FROM THE ELAMITE ERA AND TOPONYMY OF ZABSHALI

So far, there have been no studies conducted extensively on the regions surrounding Elamite. One of the surrounding regions cover the north of present-day provinces Fars and Khuzestan as Elamite centers in the ancient era. The noteworthy point about these regions is their potentially rich metal mines. This has been mentioned in Mesopotamian inscriptions, mainly explaining the link between the Mesopotamian plain and the highlands of Elam. The present-day provinces, Khuzestan and Fars, have small potentials for metal mines. Hence, they only served as surrounding regions supplying the metals. However, little investigation has been done on the archeological data from the Elamite Era. It is crucial to carry out a historical study on these regions along with the archeological data to enlighten the dark spots in the Elamite Era and ultimately provide a toponymy of the Elamite cities. One instance of such archeological data involve various types of local pottery in Khuzestan (as a central city of Elam), which was compared through petrography against the samples recovered in Isfahan and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari (as two surrounding regions). Finally, this paper intended to discuss more confidently the era in which this type of pottery was built and its origin in order to provide a toponymy of the Zabshali based on historical and archaeological data.