Recent excavations at the Middle Bronze Age site of Kurd Qaburstan in northeastern Iraq are uncovering a wealth of artifacts and architectural remains. Led by Dr. Tiffany Earley-Spadoni, an ᴀssociate professor of history at UCF, the research team uncovered clay tablets with cuneiform writing, a game board, and monumental structural remains.

A portion of the excavated Mesopotamian site of Kurd Qaburstan. Credit: Tiffany Earley-Spadoni / University of Central Florida

Situated close to the city of Erbil, Kurd Qaburstan is thought to be the site of the ancient city of Qabra, a town of some regional importance that is mentioned in the Old Babylonian monuments, such as the Stele of Dadusha. The site dates to circa 1800 BCE during the reign of the renowned law-giving king Hammurabi. Despite the fact that Mesopotamia is primarily known as the cradle of urban civilization, the Middle Bronze Age in Northern Iraq is still poorly documented due to a general absence of research and biases in the sources.

“We hope to find even more historical records that will help us tell the story of [the city] from the perspective of its own people rather than relying only on accounts written by their enemies,” said Dr. Earley-Spadoni. “While we know a great deal about the development of writing in southern Iraq, far less is known about literacy in northern Mesopotamian cities, especially near Erbil where Kurd Qaburstan is located.”

These clay tablets are significant as they are the first such finds in this part of the world. Preliminary interpretations of the tablets include the fact that they could be informative about the relations of the city with other settlements and the degree of literacy among its inhabitants. Scholars examine names, choice of words, and style of writing to piece together cultural idenтιтy and the historical context in which the people of Kurd Qaburstan lived.

One of three clay cuneiform tablets discovered at the Middle Bronze Age site of Kurd Qaburstan in northeast Iraq. It was found in a debris-filled corridor in the lower town palace. Early interpretations of this tablet suggests dramatic events and possibly ancient warfare. Credit: Tiffany Earley-Spadoni / University of Central Florida

The team dug up two main areas: the residential quarters in the northwest and the newly found administrative center, or lower town palace. In 2022, the team hypothesized a palace and confirmed its existence with geophysical surveys via magnetometry, showing monumental architecture, human remains, and clear signs of destruction. A discovery of this nature thus points to the fact that the site underwent some significant historical events linked to violence in the ancient world.

In the residential quarters, outer courtyards, clay drainpipes, and household refuse were found. Pottery remains included cups, plates, and jars. The presence of elaborately decorated pieces indicated that private wealth among the residents did not align with the typical profile of the non-elite in ancient Mesopotamian cities. Animal bones retrieved alongside the pottery signaled a spectrum of diets that included both domesticated meats and game, a situation that subverts ᴀssumptions of social and lifestyle division.

“We’re studying this ancient city to learn very specific things about the ancient inhabitants,” said Dr. Earley-Spadoni. “To what degree did they plan their environment? We also want to know how social inequality worked in this ancient city. Were there very poor people and very rich people? Or was there possibly a middle class?”

Mesopotamia’s dense network of ancient cities, located in the fertile plains between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, has long intrigued researchers. Scholars have scoured the southern cities, such as Uruk, but northern sites, such as Kurd Qaburstan, are allowing researchers to fill gaps in history.

More information: University of Central Florida