Analysis of Max Mallowan’s notebook from Tell Arbid; using Rafal Kolinski’s (2007) work as a guide.
Figure 1:
Page 61 and 62
Mallowan’s contour plan for Tell Arbid showing the location of Trenches 1—7.
Figure 2: ��Tell Arbid. Recent contour plan of the site showing a reconstruction of the position of Mallowan’s trenches and the area excavated by the Polish-Syrian Mission
(Pregowski and Wagner in Kolinski 2007: 74).
Trench 4 has not been added because Kolinski (ibid: 79) could not find it on the ground because of modern buildings.�� ��
Trench 1
Other names Mallowan used for Trench 1:
Site 1, A, Site Alpha or α.
Each numbered area is called a square but they are also referred to as areas in some parts of the notebook.
Figure 3:
Left: Map of Trench 1 from Mallowan’s notebook in the British Museum (BM) showing Squares 1—12 (in Kolinski 2007: 80).
Right: Map of Trench 1 from Mallowan’s notebook (Page 27 & 28) in the AMC showing Squares 1—12 and additional squares.
Notes from Mallowan’s notebook in the BM (in ibid).
Additional Information about Trench 1 (not copied across to the AMC notebook):
‘May 7th. Work began at sunrise on a prominent N. spur of the tall [sic] 12 parties worked out @ 4x3 metres each. Two large jars at N. end appeared early. Sq.1: Base: 3cm.
Jar Sq.4 & 6: Base: 12cm. Coarse – brownish clay’.
Figure 4:
Page 29 & 30 in the AMC notebook
‘Square 1: Large jar – amphora shaped contained bones & a few beads, cylinder? of faience. V. broken up. Below sub surface.
Sq.4: Large jar. Inhumation burial adult. 2 double conoid beads. Amphora shape. Ht [height] 75cm, R [rim] 26 cm. Just below sub-surface.
Sqq [sic].4 & 6: Large jar - amphora shape, but with curious button shaped base. Inhumation burial. Contained beads, bangles? Ht: 1.5m, R. 31cm, Diam. base: 12cm.
Bricks in Square 6: 60 x 38 x 10 cm’. Kolinski (2007: 81) suggests a Seleucid date for these (appendix 2).
Figure 5: Page 31
TAG (Tell Arbid Grave) 1: Squares 8 & 10 (in Jennings 2013).
‘At -2m below surface. Body adult, lying E to W, head E. Flexed on left side. Hands to mouth. Vase, painted lying in front of body, just by waist. Grave seemed to have been cut down against face of top? mud platform. Vase H. 13cm, R. 3cm, Base 2.5cm’.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 96 & 112).
Vase: Field find number: A.221
Current location: Unknown but should be in Syria, according to inventory.
Date of vase: Seleucid (appendix 2).
Date of grave: Hellenistic (appendix 2).
Figure 6: Page 33 & 34
TAG 2: Square 11
‘May 8th [1936] At -1.70m below surface 170˚ grave. Adult. Lying S to N head N. On right side, flexed, face to E.
Objects: 1 Vase. Painted. H.16cm, R.12cm. 6 bands on shoulder. Below feet of body.
Grave close to & W of a wall’.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 97 & 112).
Vase: Field find number: A.291.
Current location: Unknown but should be in England, according to the inventory.
Material: Buff clay.
Description: Red paint, wash on neck, Type III.
Date of vase: Khabur Ware: Old Jezirah II (appendix 2).
Figure 7: Page 35 & 36
Square 12
‘May 8th [1936] White beads, cylinder? chalk. Two large jars.
S. edge two enormous jars – ? exposed 3m 30cm approx. circumference approx. 1 ½ m high’.
Figure 8: Page 38
TAG 3: Square 13
‘At -1.20m below surface 75˚ Body. Adult, inhumation, lying E to W head E. Body flexed, face to N.
Body lying close to W of a wall. Objects: Nil’.
Figure 9: Page 42 & 43.
TAG 5: Square 8
Left: ‘[Body lies] 3m [to the S/E of a] Large brick wall? At -2m below surface 115˚ Body, adult, inhumation burial, lying E to W, head E, flexed, knees well drawn up. Hands below head, one hand near jar. Body lying under heavy packing level’.
Right: ‘Seleucid. 1) Jar. 2) Coin. 1) Jar: Unpainted. Ht. 13cm, R.2.5cm, Base.3cm’.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 97, 99 & 102).
Araballos: Field find number: A.287.
Current location: British Museum.
Inventory number: 125489.
Discrepancy in rim size: 1.5cm.
Colour: Light brown. Description: Mineral temper, nail indentation on body.
Figure 10: Page 46 & 48.
TAG 6: To the East of Square 3
‘May 8th [1936] At -1.60m below surface 90˚ Body adult, inhumation burial, lying E to W head E. Flexed, on left side, knees well drawn u, hands below jar. Face to South.
Objects: 1) Iron? Implement? Knife? Broken in 2 pieces.
2) 1 frag. G.O.K?
3) 1 painted potsherd.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 84, 97, 99 & 102).
Pot sherd: Field find number: A.1002.
Current location: BM
Colour: Buff.
Description: Brown paint: slashed triangles.
Period: Late Uruk (3500—3100BC), although Kolinski advices caution as this ware was also popular during the Khabur Ware period.
Figure 11: Page 59
Lowest levels, under ? town wall – heavy ? walls, grey & black burnished ware & little painted vase.
Figure 12: Page 63
May 10th [1936] Notes:
Site No.3 Abd: 4 gangs.
Site No.4: Akh?: 5 (later 2).
Site No.5 Serkis: 2.
Site No.6 Yusaf: 4.
Site Top: 7.
Figure 13: Page 39 & 40
TAG 4: Square 3
‘At -.90[c]m below surface 280˚ Inhumation burial, adult. Lying W to E head W. Supine, extended. Arms stretched out by sides. Objects: nil. Islamic?’.
Map of Trench 2: also ‘Pot Chagar Bazar III’ (appendix 2).
Trench 2
Also known as:
Site 2, B, Site Beta or β.
Figure 14: Page 49 & 50.
TAG 7: Square 2
Left: ‘At -80cm below surface. 270˚ Body adult female (from amount of ornamentation), lying W to E. Head W. Supine. Arms stretched straight by sides. Face towards E.
Objects: Large amount of beads.1) Small blue predominantly.
2) Bangles ? (2) on ankles’.
Below: Grave bricked in with sun dried brick.
Figure 15: Page 52
‘Grave of small infant immediately to E of [TA]G 7, [Square 2 as shown in figure 13], same level, no objects.
Figure 16: Page 35 & 36.
Notes from May 8 (below)
Square 2: Beads, black and ? No further finds with them.
Square 3: Grave [TA]G 4.
Square 4: 1) Infant burial - @ -40cm, blue beads (mounted on?), copper ear-rings. Not planned.
2) Infant burial with beads.
Beads from No. 4 @ -40cm.
One adult burial lying on floor – S to N, head S, Supine. Islamic. No Objects.
Figure 17:
Page 53 & 54.
TAG 8 & 9: Square 3
Two graves at -1m below surface.
[TAG] No. 8. adult, lying S to N, head S, Supine, Facing E, extended.
[TAG] No. 9. infant immediately to E of No. 8.
Objects: NIL. Islamic.
Figure 18: Page 56.
TAG 10 (above): Square 4
‘Burnt bricks at -.70m, 5 layers. [Width/Height? Of wall]: .35m ’.
Figure 19: Page 44
TAG 11 (or TAG 10) (below): Square 4: I wonder if this is not the entry for TAG 10 as no grave is listed (left) and TAG 11 is already accounted for in Trench 4 (figure 22), also, TAG 10 is marked in Square 4 in the same place as TAG 11 on the Trench 2 map (figure 12).
‘At -1.80m in sq. 4, SW corner of Islamic burial. Ex[tended] W, stretched, supine, head facing S. ? ? ? & no. 7 beads – perhaps two years old? And long narrow inhumation’.
Figure 20: Page 59 & 60
‘Below the main level of Islamic buildings , a main level of mud brick walls, and ash?, the filling of chambers containing ? unparalleled? Sherds of NIN[evite] 5 (appendix 2) ware, and a few ? ? bowls of Chag[ar] Baz[ar] III—IV type (appendix 2).
C. 3 pots of this type broken, but complete ? & fluted bugle bead’.
Figure 21: Page 64
Map of Trench 3
Square 3: Jar.
Small unpainted vase Ht.9cm, R.4cm.
Flint knife.
Additional information (Kolinski 2007: 97, 99 & 114.
Flint blade: Field Find Number: A.1011 Current location: BM.
Inventory number: 125663.
Length: 22cm.
Width: 4cm.
Colour: Light grey.
Description: Canaanean blade.
Period: Early Jezirah II—III (appendix 2).
Trench 3
Also known as: Site 3, γ or Gam[m]a.
Figure 22: Page 70
Left: TAG 12: Square 2: ‘At -70cm
Grave. Head on S. Objects: One copper bangle. Two frag.? Copper.
Beads – carnelian & Faience blue.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 97,
98
Copper bangle: Field find number: A.565.
Current location unknown but in Syria according to the inventory.
Diameter: 8cm.
Type: XVI.
Figure 23: Page 74
Right: Pit γ (presumably gamma as a small γ is the symbol for gamma). ‘Town walls, and unpainted sherds only. Some had cable moulding – no black burnished ware, in general the sherds were not earlier than Assyrian’ (appendix 2).
Figure 24: Page 87
Site γ [Gamma?] TGA [sic] ‘Part of a drab clay spouted pot, same type as Chag[ar] Baz[ar] III—IV ? ?’.
Trench 4
Also known as Site 4, δ or Delta .
Figure 25: Page 66
Map of Trench 4.
TAG 11: Square 3: ‘At -55cm below surface. Body, adult, inhumation, lying W—E, head on W, on right side facing S, flexed, vases close to W side of head. Body 310˚.
Vase No. 1) Plain.
Ht.8.5cm, R.4.5cm.
Type?: XXXVIII.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 97 & 98).
Vase: Field Find Number: A.277.
Current location: Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, Cambridge.
Inventory number: 1937.244.
Period: Early Jezirah (appendix 2).
Height: Slight discrepancy: 9.5cm.
Colour: Greenish grey ware.
Description: Unburnished.
Figure 26: Page 68
TAG 11: Square 3: ‘Vase 2) Large unpainted jar round bottom.
Ht. 23cm, R.11cm.
Page 90
‘Site Delta (δ)
Again found to be a solid mass of mud brick, i.e. the back of the heavy town wall proper, this is important information as regards occupation, also the ? Of numerous? painted sherds of Chag[ar] Baz[ar] I found – i.e. C.1500 BC which means that the Arbit [sic] wall was certainly built by that date though its foundations were probably earlier’.
Trench 7
Also known as Site 7 or Top.
Map of Trench 7: ‘Thick layer of fallen pebbles’ TAG 14, 15 & 16.
Figure 27: Page 75 & 76
TAG 14: Square 1: ‘Top of the Tall [sic] an inhumation grave, body extended W, head E and on left side facing S – at feet 2 pots and at back of head sheep bones, L. 124˚. Islamic grave, 1800 BC painted ware, some mud brick walling’.
Additional information (Kolinski 2007: 97, 99 & 106).
Painted Vase: Field find number: A.297.
Current location: Deir ez-Zor Museum, Syria.
Inventory number: 10651.
H.23.5cm, D.11.5cm.
Period Old Jezirah II (appendix 2).
Colour: Buff.
Description: Fine clay, mineral temper, dark brown painted bands, ribbing (figure 26).
Figure 28: TAG 14 continued.
Additional information (Kolinski 2007: 97, 99 & 106).
Painted Vase: Field find number: A.298.
Current location: Deir ez-Zor, Syria.
Inventory number: 10656.
H.16cm, D.14—19.5cm.
Period: Old Jezirah II (appendix 2).
Colour: Light brown.
Description: Common ware, organic temper, red-brown paint.
1)
2)
Figure 29: Page 78
TAG 15: Square 1: ‘Top of mound, same square & level as [TA]G 14 in sub surface, a ? inhumation grave. Body NE & NW, head SW, bricks in ? – by feet 2 painted pots. 3) ? At feet a broken copper ? L 124˚’.
Additional information (Kolinski 2007: 97—98).
Vase: Field find number: A.300.
Current location: Unknown but inventory states Syria.
H.20cm.
Material: Drab clay.
Type: XI.
Figure 30: Page 80
TAG 16: Square 2: ‘An inhumation grave consisting of a body lying E to W, head E, facing N on right side ? & brick lined trough ? ? Sub surface.
2) ? Head & against face x ? drab clay ware. Mud bricks 37 x 38 x ?cms’.
Additional information (Kolinski 2007: 97—98).
Painted vase: Field find number: A.299.
Current location: Unknown, inventory says vase in England.
H.15cm.
Period: Old Jezirah II (Appendix 2).
Colour: Pink clay.
Description: 3 bands on shoulders red paint.
Type: XII.
Figure 31: Page 81 & 82: (in Jennings 2013).
TAG 17: Square 3: ‘Sub-surface an inhumation grave of an infant, NE to SW, head SW and by head 2 jars.
Additional information (Kolinski 2007: 96—97).
1) Metallic Ware Vase: Field find number: A.280.
Current Location: Unknown, inventory suggests England.
H.8cm. Period: Early Jezirah IIIB/IV (appendix 2). Description: Smooth surface. Type: XXXI.
2) Metallic Ware Vase: Field find number: A.263. Current location: BM.
Inventory number: 125472.
H.10.5cm, D.7.5cm.
Period: Early Jezirah IIIB (appendix 2).
Trench 8
Also known as Site 8.
Map of Trench 8.
‘Level of grey ware (top of trench) C.2000 BC. ? In 3 x grey ware vase?’.
Figure 32: Page 84 & 86: (in Jennings 2013).
TAG 18: Square 2 & 3:
‘An inhumation grave at -0.30m below surface, L 280˚, body flexed, and on left side. E to W, head W is towards top of tall [sic] – in the grave no less than 8 pots, mostly of burnished grey ware, under head 2 copper pins and a necklace of fluted ball beads cu (copper?)’.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 97—98 & 114).
Vase: Field find number: A.262.
Current location: Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge (appendix 3).
Inventory number: 1937.245.
Period: Early Jezirah IV (appendix 2).
Colour: Black ware.
Description: Burnished, well finished .
A.262 continued:
‘On the inside of the pot there is very distinct spiral ribbing, the marks of potter’s wheel, very well defined on much of the burnished pottery of this period.
Figure 33: TAG 18 continued.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 96, 100 & 108).
Metallic ware vase: Field find number: A:265.
Current Location: The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
Inventory number: AN1937.183.
H.19cm, D9cm.
Period: Early Jezirah IIIB/IV (appendix 2).
Colour: Dark grey, light grey.
Description: Metallic ware, mottled burnished surface.
(Collins 2013).
Figure 34: TAG 18 continued.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 96, 100 & 107).
Vase: Field find number: A:267.
Current Location: Kolinski (ibid: 96) identifies that this item is in the Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, Cambridge, however he states in Table 2 (ibid: 78) that Cambridge only received three items and the online catalogue for Cambridge confirms this (appendix 3), therefore this items location is unknown.
H.8cm. Period: Early Jezirah III (appendix 2).
Material: Light drab clay. Description: Creamy.
Metallic ware vase: Field find number: A.279. Current location: Dier ez-zor Museum, Syria. Inventory number: 10639 (this has been given two inventory numbers: 5233). H.10cm, D.7. Period: Early Jezirah IIIB-IV. Colour: black, burnished.
Metallic Ware Vase: Field find number: A.281. Current location: Dier ez-zor Museum, Syria. Inventory number: 10724. H.11cm, D.6cm. Period: Early Jezirah IIIB-IV. Colour: black/brown. Description: Mottled surface, burnished on shoulders.
Figure 32: TAG 18 continued.
Additional Information (Kolinski 2007: 97, 100 & 107).
Vase: Field find number: A:322.
Current Location: BM.
H.29cm, D.16.5. Period: Early Jezirah IIIB/IV (appendix 2). Colour: dark grey.
Description: metallic ware, wet smoothed mottled surface, reconstructed.
Copper pin: Field find: A.569. Current location: unknown, inventory states England. Length. 19cm. Period: Early Jezirah III. Description: head & fragmented stem, circular in section, fluted conical head (nearly half the shaft is missing).
Figure 35: Page 88
TAG 19: not given a trench location, presumption that it may be in Trench 8? ‘Infants grave, very broken at 0.30 below the surface and head to W?.S?.E?
Copper rings, broken ? Vase at 30cm SW of head’.
Bibliography:
Collins, P, (2013) Picture received in an email from Dr. Paul Collins, Assistant Keeper for Ancient Near East at the Ashmolean Museum.
Jennings, N, (2013) ‘Notebook 1: Tell Arbid, Khabur River Basin, Syria, 1936’ in The Ancaster Mallowan Collection, pp.27—31, 33—36, 38—40, 42—44, 46, 48—50, 52—54, 56, 59—64, 66, 68, 70, 74—76, 78, 80—82, 84, 86—88 & 90, https://sites.google.com/site/themallowanarchive/the-archive/notebook-1 (Accessed 5 May 2013).
Kolinski, R, (2007) Sir Max Mallowan’s Excavations at Tell Arbid in 1936, Poland, Adam Mickiewicz University, pp. 74, 79—80, 82, 96—97, 99—100, 102, 107—108, 112 & 114, http://amu.academia.edu/RafalKolinski/Papers (Accessed 22 April 2013).