Tell Habuba Kabira
Habuba Kabira · Tell Habuba Kabira-Tell Kannas
Late Uruk/Jemdet Nasr (c.3500–3000 BCE)·South Mesopotamian Uruk colonial·🇸🇾 Raqqa Governorate, Northeastern Syria, Syria
About
About Tell Habuba Kabira
Classic Late Uruk colony (c.3500–3000 BCE) on the Euphrates, 18 ha walled town with tripartite temples, administrative tablets and bevelled-rim bowls, excavated by Eva Strommenger. Planned Uruk architecture transplanted from Sumer to control Euphrates trade.
Why it mattersKey Raqqa Governorate, Northeastern Syria sequence for Late Uruk/Jemdet Nasr (c.3500–3000 BCE); uruk trade colony controlling euphrates timber and obsidian route.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Tell Habuba Kabira relative to neighbouring centres?
Theories
- 01Regional centre hypothesis for Raqqa Governorate
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 Uruk c.3500 BCE
- Period
- Late Uruk/Jemdet Nasr (c.3500–3000 BCE)
- Culture
- South Mesopotamian Uruk colonial
- Builders
- South Mesopotamian Uruk colonial communities
- Purpose
- Uruk trade colony controlling Euphrates timber and obsidian route
- Rediscovered
- 20th century survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1960
Foundation/earliest horizon
1980
Major excavations
2020
Conservation/monitoring
On the ground
Structures & features
35.9500° N · 38.0500° E · 300 m · 2 mapped features
Uruk city wall
fortificationFortified enclosure with tripartite gates
35.9502° N · 38.0503° ETripartite temples on Tell Kannas
templeStandard Uruk temples on southern mound
35.9498° N · 38.0497° E