Tell Nebi Mend
تل النبي مندو · Qadesh · Kadesh · Qadesh on Orontes
Early Bronze Age to Iron Age (c.3000–600 BCE)·Amorite → Hittite–Egyptian frontier → Iron Age Aramaean·🇸🇾 Homs Governorate, Orontes bend, Syria
About
About Tell Nebi Mend
Orontes bend fortified city 33 ha (Citadel 10 ha, Lower Town 23 ha), identified as Qadesh (Kadesh), scene of 1274 BCE Battle of Kadesh (Ramesses II vs Muwatalli II). EB–Iron Age (c.3000–600 BCE) with double walls, bastions, fosse, Middle Bronze earthen ramparts, Late Bronze Hittite destruction level with Egyptian and Hittite sherds. Excavated 1975– by Pézard and Parr (UCL) with British campaign exposing MB glacis and LB temple/palatial level-associated Qadesh treaty horizon. Lebanon cedar trade control.
Why it mattersOnly Qadesh battlefield city; MB glacis and LB Egyptian–Hittite horizon.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Exact battlefield topography south of mound?
- 02Was LB palace Hittite or vassal?
Theories
- 01Ford control buffer-state model
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.3000 BCE EB town
- Period
- Early Bronze Age to Iron Age (c.3000–600 BCE)
- Culture
- Amorite → Hittite–Egyptian frontier → Iron Age Aramaean
- Builders
- Orontes Amorite cities (Qadesh dynasty)
- Purpose
- Orontes ford capital and chariotry base; Hittite–Egyptian buffer capital
- Abandoned
- c.600 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1921 Pézard
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.3000 BCE
EB fortified town founded
c.1800 BCE
MB glacis built
1274 BCE
Battle of Kadesh outside walls
c.1170 BCE
Sea Peoples destruction
On the ground
Structures & features
34.5600° N · 36.5200° E · 480 m · 3 mapped features
Tell Nebi Mend — Orontes Ford Gate
gateLB triple-chamber gate at east wall facing river ford
34.5605° N · 36.5200° ETell Nebi Mend — MB Glacis
fortificationHyksos-style earthen glacis, south slope
34.5600° N · 36.5205° ETell Nebi Mend — Acropolis temple
templeLB temple with Hittite bulla
34.5595° N · 36.5195° E
Gallery