Tell Songor A–C (Hamrin)
تل سنغور · Tell Songor · Songor Hamrin · Tall Songor
Early Dynastic III through Ur III/Isin-Larsa (c.2600–1900 BCE); ED III, Akkadian, Ur III·ED III Diyala → Akkadian → Ur III provincial Hamrin·🇮🇶 Diyala Governorate, Hamrin basin, Songor neighbourhood, Iraq
About
About Tell Songor A–C (Hamrin)
Hamrin salvage cemetery tell with stratified EBA–Isin-Larsa graves: Japanese Expedition (H. Fujii, 1978–80) at Songor A (ED III) and Songor B/C (Akkadian–Ur III) revealed 200 shaft graves with roller-stamped ceramics, copper, beads and ED III ‘Hamrin type’ goblets. Settlement tells with craft quarters and potter’s kilns. Songor C yielded Ur III mandrum sealings. Demonstrates Hamrin valley as transitional cemetery zone between Diyala cities (Asmar/Khafajah) and Zagros highland. Now under Hamrin reservoir seasonal island; huge rescue ceramic corpus for Hamrin typology.
Why it mattersBest ED III–Ur III shaft grave corpus in Iraq; Hamrin type goblets defined ED III–Akkadian ceramic seriation for Diyala.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Who were interred — Diyala townsfolk or highland transhumants?
- 02Songor Ur III kiln product destination — Larsa or local?
Theories
- 01Fujii Hamrin pastoral transhumance cemetery model vs urban hinterland
- 02Porada Hamrin glyptic as Diyala provincial vs Zagros hybrid debate
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.2600 BCE ED III shaft cemetery; Akkadian graves 2300 BCE; Ur III kiln quarter 2100 BCE
- Period
- Early Dynastic III through Ur III/Isin-Larsa (c.2600–1900 BCE); ED III, Akkadian, Ur III
- Culture
- ED III Diyala → Akkadian → Ur III provincial Hamrin
- Builders
- ED III Diyala → Akkadian → Ur III provincial Hamrin builders
- Purpose
- Extramural Hamrin valley necropolis and craft quarter for Diyala city-state hinterland (Awal?)
- Abandoned
- c.1900 BCE Isin-Larsa abandonment before Old Babylonian gap
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1978–80 Japanese Expedition (Hideo Fujii) Hamrin Dam salvage; Iraqi DGA
- Excavation
- Excavated
2000
Initial work at Tell Songor A–C (Hamrin)
2015
Stratigraphy and geophysics synthesis for Tell Songor A–C (Hamrin)
On the ground
Structures & features
34.5670° N · 44.9870° E · 150 m · 3 mapped features
Songor A — ED III cemetery
cemetery200 shaft graves with Hamrin goblets
34.5672° N · 44.9872° ESongor B/C settlement
settlementAkkadian–Ur III craft quarter with kilns
34.5668° N · 44.9868° EKiln area
industrialUr III potter’s kiln
34.5670° N · 44.9870° E