Tell Qarassa North
تل قراصة شمالي · Tell Qarassa Shamali · Qarassa North Tell Qarassa
Pre-Pottery Neolithic B to Pottery Neolithic (c.8500–6600 BCE)·PPNB (southern Levantine)·🇸🇾 As-Suwayda Governorate, Leja/Bashan, Syria
About
About Tell Qarassa North
PPNB megasite north lobe of Tell Qarassa complex on Leja (Trachonitis) basalt plateau, 3 ha, 8 m high. Early Neolithic village (c.8500–6600 BCE, PPNA–PN) with corridor buildings, plastered floors, lime-plaster statues, wheat/barley and sheep/goat. The academic 2010–19 Ibáñez team exposed 6 building phases, communal structures, burial under floors and naviform blades. Adjacent south lobe continues as PN; north lobe abandoned early PN but megalithic dolmens later encircle. Key for Late PPNB megavillage collapse and volcanic field Neolithisation.
Why it mattersLargest PPNB site in southern Syria; volcanic field adaptation and PPNB collapse case.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why split north/south occupation?
- 02Origin of plaster statues?
Theories
- 01Volcanic soils high-yield model
- 02Climate-driven PPNB decline
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.8500 BCE PPNA foundation
- Period
- Pre-Pottery Neolithic B to Pottery Neolithic (c.8500–6600 BCE)
- Culture
- PPNB (southern Levantine)
- Builders
- Leja early farmers
- Purpose
- Volcanic-field megavillage with early herding and communal architecture
- Abandoned
- c.6600 BCE early Pottery Neolithic
- Rediscovered
- 1960s de Contenson; 2009 Ibáñez re-excavation
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.8500 BCE
PPNA corridor houses founded
c.7500 BCE
PPNB megavillage 3 ha peak
c.6600 BCE
Abandoned; south lobe continues
On the ground
Structures & features
32.7300° N · 36.4600° E · 720 m · 3 mapped features
Tell Qarassa North — Corridor Building EA53
buildingPPNB long corridor building with plastered benches
32.7305° N · 36.4605° ETell Qarassa North — Lime-plaster statue cache
cacheFragmentary PN statues under floor
32.7300° N · 36.4600° ETell Qarassa North — Communal silo
siloCircular lime-plastered silo, late PPNB
32.7295° N · 36.4595° E
Gallery