Burnt room and cult(?) stone in Area G

In Area G excavation of levels from the Late and Middle Bronze Ages was continued.

In 2004 we excavated several burnt rooms in Level VII, which can be dated to the outgoing Middle Bronze Age (17th cent. BC). In 2005 we pursued work on reconstruction of the many crushed ceramic vessels found in these rooms. In a first phase it was important to gain an overview of the material and the number of vessels represented.

Upper parts of storage jars from Level VII after reconstruction.

Most of the jars came from the same small room, Locus G1A, where we had also found several bone inlays in 2004. In 2005 a doorway in the north wall of this locus was cleared, and here more inlays were found.

Plaques of bone with incised decoration. Originally used as inlays in wooden boxes and similar.


In 2005 excavation also reached the adjoining Level VII room to the north of the doorway. Here were fewer vessels, and the room had a different character. In one end of the room were two circular storage bins, and under these were two infant burials dug into the floor. In one case the body was covered with large sherds of broken jars and next to this was placed a small ceramic cup.

Infant burial in Area G, Level VII.

Ceramic cup from the infant burial.

Also in Area O remains of Level VII have been excavated, but here was no sign of burning. Only a small area has been cleared, but like in Area G structures seem to be small rooms built up against the edge of the Level VIII stone terrace. Embedded in a wall was found a handsome faience stamp seal, probably a deliberate deposit to ensure protection and luck for the building and its occupants.

Stamp seal (Area O, Level VII) and modern impression of seal image.


On top of the burnt Level VII was an occupation from the early part of the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1500 BC), when the region around Aushariye was part of the Hurrian Mitanni kingdom. An interesting feature of this level (VI) is an upright stone slab placed in a small courtyard or street. The bottom of the slab was carefully placed on a prepared stone base, subsequently covered with a brick base. Embedded in the brick base was a complete bronze dagger.

Stone slab with bronze dagger exposed.

Close-up of the bronze dagger.

It is not easy to suggest a practical function for this arrangement, and it seems likely that the stone served a cultic purpose. From the Syrian Bronze Age texts found at sites like Mari and Emar inform us about aniconic cult stones, sometimes representing distinct deities, and used in various contexts. Extension of the Level VI exposure in this area of Aushariye may hopefully serve to clarify the purpose of this feature.