Tell Aushariye - Introduction

Aushariye viewed from north – in foreground the artificial Tishrin Lake. Larger image »

Since 2000 Danish archaeologists have carried out excavations at Tell Aushariye in northern Syria. Aushariye is an ancient fortress, located strategically on an important route across the river Euphrates. Probably it can be identified with a site known from several ancient sources. Foremost Assyrian inscriptions from the 9th cent. BC, which mention a place named Pitru, which was located exactly where Aushariye is.

The first excavations have uncovered remains of the Iron Age settlement, including the Assyrian period, but also revealed that Aushariye was occupied already in the 4th mill. BC.

Tell is an Arabic word for a mound of accumulated settlement ruins. Aushariye is the name of a modern village some 700 m from the tell, and which has given it its name. The tell itself lies high on a cliff with a fantastic view over the recently formed, artificial Tishrin Lake. On the slopes of the cliff are eroded remains of terraces and fortification walls.

The excavation at Tell Aushariye is at present the only Danish project of this kind in Syria. It has come about thanks to the kind permission of the Syrian Antiquities Authority and support from several Danish institutions and foundations.