Tell Marj
Encyclopedia
Tell al-Marj is a prehistoric, Neolithic
Tell
, about 5 hectare in size, located between Krak des Chevaliers
and Homs
, near the village of Tell es Safa in Syria
.
, Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, the Mila and Fontanals Institution of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (Barcelona
) and the International Institute for Prehistoric Research in the University of Cantabria
(Santander
). Scientific direction was carried out jointly by Dr. Michel Al-Maqdisi (Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Syria), Dr. Maya Haïdar Boustani
(Museum Lebanese Prehistory, LSU) and Dr. Juan José Ibañez (Mila and Fontanals Institution).
The site was geophysically surveyed in June 2008 uaing tomography
to measure electrical resistance
of the earth. Four areas were excavated based on the ground survey and traces of a basalt
wall. Four stratigraphic levels were identified and a straight stone wall was discovered. Level 1 contained sediments composed of sands and dark clay with a large amount of organic material suggesting agriculture. Level II was more compacted and suggests more intensive agriculture. Level III contained a proportion of white gravel with dark clay with level IV's having lighter clay. Three walls were found with large stone blocks averaging between 40 to 80cm in width.
s of fine pottery
were found including red, black, glossy black (Dark Faced Burnished Ware
, brown, beige, red outside and black inside, black outside and red inside. Forms include globular jars, high collar and straight cut containers. Some sherds show incised lines and had strong parallels to other neolithic sites on the Levant
ine coast suuch as Ras Shamra and Byblos
. Other finds included a clay seal with a perforation and suspension on the reverse. It is stamped with a geometric design of a grid on the front. A small bull
head figurine was found 40mm in length and 30mm in width. Two stone basalt
fragments and a fragment of a limestone
plaque were found. Personal decoration was limited to a single blue stone with a thin central perforation and two incisions measuring 6mm long. Flint
s found were in light beige, dark beige, honey, dark gray and translucent gray with a good state of preservation. Patina
alterations and desilication were evident. Arrowhead
s found were matched with Amuq points and Byblos points.
. Along with charcoal from the site, this has been preserved for analysis.
The tell showed numerous materials similar to those of Byblos
and highlights the total absence of material dating after the middle of the neolithic. Well built permanent structures suggest land tenure
and conservation
.
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
Tell
Tell
A tell or tel, is a type of archaeological mound created by human occupation and abandonment of a geographical site over many centuries. A classic tell looks like a low, truncated cone with a flat top and sloping sides.-Archaeology:A tell is a hill created by different civilizations living and...
, about 5 hectare in size, located between Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers , also Crac des Chevaliers, is a Crusader castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by a settlement of Kurds; as a result it was known as Hisn al Akrad, meaning the "Castle of the...
and Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
, near the village of Tell es Safa in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
Excavations
The site was discovered in 2006 through surface finds by a combined project that commenced in 2004 as a partnership of the Museum of Lebanese PrehistoryMuseum of Lebanese Prehistory
The Museum of Lebanese Prehistory is a museum of prehistory and archaeology in Beirut, Lebanon.-History:...
, Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, the Mila and Fontanals Institution of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
) and the International Institute for Prehistoric Research in the University of Cantabria
University of Cantabria
University of Cantabria , in Spanish Universidad de Cantabria, is a public university located in Santander and Torrelavega in Cantabria, Spain. It was founded in 1972 and is organized in 12 schools and colleges....
(Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
). Scientific direction was carried out jointly by Dr. Michel Al-Maqdisi (Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Syria), Dr. Maya Haïdar Boustani
Maya Haïdar Boustani
Maya Abdallah Haïdar Boustani is a Lebanese archaeologist and curator of the Museum of Lebanese Prehistory at Saint Joseph University, Beirut.-Biography:...
(Museum Lebanese Prehistory, LSU) and Dr. Juan José Ibañez (Mila and Fontanals Institution).
The site was geophysically surveyed in June 2008 uaing tomography
Tomography
Tomography refers to imaging by sections or sectioning, through the use of any kind of penetrating wave. A device used in tomography is called a tomograph, while the image produced is a tomogram. The method is used in radiology, archaeology, biology, geophysics, oceanography, materials science,...
to measure electrical resistance
Electrical resistance
The electrical resistance of an electrical element is the opposition to the passage of an electric current through that element; the inverse quantity is electrical conductance, the ease at which an electric current passes. Electrical resistance shares some conceptual parallels with the mechanical...
of the earth. Four areas were excavated based on the ground survey and traces of a basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
wall. Four stratigraphic levels were identified and a straight stone wall was discovered. Level 1 contained sediments composed of sands and dark clay with a large amount of organic material suggesting agriculture. Level II was more compacted and suggests more intensive agriculture. Level III contained a proportion of white gravel with dark clay with level IV's having lighter clay. Three walls were found with large stone blocks averaging between 40 to 80cm in width.
Materials Recovered
A few sherdSherd
In archaeology, a sherd is commonly a historic or prehistoric fragment of pottery, although the term is occasionally used to refer to fragments of stone and glass vessels as well....
s of fine pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
were found including red, black, glossy black (Dark Faced Burnished Ware
Dark faced burnished ware
Dark Faced Burnished Ware or DFBW is the earliest form of pottery developed in the western world.It was produced after the earliest examples from the indepenent phenomenon of the Jomon culture in Japan and is predominantly found at archaeological sites in Lebanon, Israel and southwest Syria...
, brown, beige, red outside and black inside, black outside and red inside. Forms include globular jars, high collar and straight cut containers. Some sherds show incised lines and had strong parallels to other neolithic sites on the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ine coast suuch as Ras Shamra and Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
. Other finds included a clay seal with a perforation and suspension on the reverse. It is stamped with a geometric design of a grid on the front. A small bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
head figurine was found 40mm in length and 30mm in width. Two stone basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
fragments and a fragment of a limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
plaque were found. Personal decoration was limited to a single blue stone with a thin central perforation and two incisions measuring 6mm long. Flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
s found were in light beige, dark beige, honey, dark gray and translucent gray with a good state of preservation. Patina
Patina
Patina is a tarnish that forms on the surface of bronze and similar metals ; a sheen on wooden furniture produced by age, wear, and polishing; or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure...
alterations and desilication were evident. Arrowhead
Arrowhead
An arrowhead is a tip, usually sharpened, added to an arrow to make it more deadly or to fulfill some special purpose. Historically arrowheads were made of stone and of organic materials; as human civilization progressed other materials were used...
s found were matched with Amuq points and Byblos points.
Agriculture and animal husbandry
Many animal remains were found, especially mammals, noted by the presence of teeth and antlers. Turtles and likely birds were also found to be sources of food. Several sediment samples were sieved and floated to collect possible remnants of micro and macro-remains of vegetationVegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
. Along with charcoal from the site, this has been preserved for analysis.
The tell showed numerous materials similar to those of Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
and highlights the total absence of material dating after the middle of the neolithic. Well built permanent structures suggest land tenure
Land tenure
Land tenure is the name given, particularly in common law systems, to the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual, who is said to "hold" the land . The sovereign monarch, known as The Crown, held land in its own right. All private owners are either its tenants or sub-tenants...
and conservation
Soil conservation
Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded from the Earth’s surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination...
.