Tell Sianu
تل سيانو · Tell Sianu (Siyannu) · Sianu · Siyannu
Middle Bronze to Iron Age (c.2000–500 BCE; floruit LBA-Iron)·Canaanite / Ugaritic periphery → Phoenician → Neo-Assyrian·🇸🇾 Latakia Governorate, Jableh plain, coastal Syria, Syria
About
About Tell Sianu
Medium coastal mound 4 km east of Jableh, excavated by Syrian DGAM and Schaeffer's Ugarit team. Middle Bronze glacis town, Late Bronze palace with Cypriot and Mycenaean imports, Iron Phoenician casemate town — texts name Zimri-lim of Siyannu as Ugarit rival. Sits on Nahr as-Sanawbar delta controlling Jableh harbour.
Why it mattersCapital of Late Bronze Siyannu known from Ugarit texts, anchor for coastal Amurru-Ugarit border politics and Iron Phoenician resettlement.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Siyannu as Ugarit dependency vs independent kingdom?
Theories
- 01Bounni Ugarit-client vs Arnaud independent Siyannu 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
- MBA town c.2000 BCE
- Period
- Middle Bronze to Iron Age (c.2000–500 BCE; floruit LBA-Iron)
- Culture
- Canaanite / Ugaritic periphery → Phoenician → Neo-Assyrian
- Builders
- Canaanite / Ugaritic periphery communities
- Purpose
- Coastal gateway town of Siyannu kingdom between Ugarit and Amurru
- Rediscovered
- Modern archaeological survey/ rescue
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.2000 BCE
MBA glacis town founded
c.1350 BCE
LB palace with Ugarit tablets
c.800 BCE
Phoenician casemate resettlement
1974
Syrian salvage sounding
On the ground
Structures & features
35.3400° N · 35.9300° E · 15 m · 3 mapped features
Tell Sianu — South terrace
terraceKey sub-area of Tell Sianu (Middle Bronze to Iron Age) showing Canaanite / Ugaritic periphery horizon
35.3393° N · 35.9296° ETell Sianu — East gate
storageKey sub-area of Tell Sianu (Middle Bronze to Iron Age) showing Canaanite / Ugaritic periphery horizon
35.3401° N · 35.9302° ETell Sianu — West workshop
dwellingKey sub-area of Tell Sianu (Middle Bronze to Iron Age) showing Canaanite / Ugaritic periphery horizon
35.3409° N · 35.9308° E