Tell Ghamqa
تل الغمقة · Ghamqa · Tell el-Ghamqa
Late Bronze to Iron Age (c.1500–300 BCE)·Late Bronze Ugaritic → Iron Phoenician·🇸🇾 Latakia Governorate, coastal plain south of Latakia, Syria
About
About Tell Ghamqa
Low coastal mound on the former Ghamqa lagoon between Latakia and Jableh, surveyed by Al-Maqdissi. Late Bronze White Slip ware port, Iron Phoenician casemate settlement with Cypriot basket-handle amphorae and lagoon fishpond — now 2 km inland due to delta progradation.
Why it mattersLagoon harbour tell showing Late Bronze to Phoenician cabotage between Ugarit and Arvad.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Harbour now inland — progradation rate?
Theories
- 01Ghamqa as Ugarit southern port vs independent (Al-Maqdissi)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Late Bronze port village c.1500 BCE
- Period
- Late Bronze to Iron Age (c.1500–300 BCE)
- Culture
- Late Bronze Ugaritic → Iron Phoenician
- Builders
- Late Bronze Ugaritic communities
- Purpose
- Coastal marsh-port on Ghamqa lagoon controlling Latakia-Jableh cabotage
- Rediscovered
- Modern archaeological survey/ rescue
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.1500 BCE
LB lagoon port founded
c.900 BCE
Phoenician casemate rebuild
2008
Al-Maqdissi littoral survey
c.300 BCE
Abandonment after lagoon siltation
On the ground
Structures & features
35.4500° N · 35.8800° E · 18 m · 3 mapped features
- Tell Ghamqa — Cemetery areacemeteryKey sub-area of Tell Ghamqa (Late Bronze to Iron Age) showing Late Bronze Ugaritic horizon35.4494° N · 35.8796° E
- Tell Ghamqa — Kiln fieldtempleKey sub-area of Tell Ghamqa (Late Bronze to Iron Age) showing Late Bronze Ugaritic horizon35.4502° N · 35.8802° E
- Tell Ghamqa — Palatial compoundfortificationKey sub-area of Tell Ghamqa (Late Bronze to Iron Age) showing Late Bronze Ugaritic horizon35.4510° N · 35.8808° E