Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City
Ubaid to Late Chalcolithic (5500–3300 BCE)·Ubaid → Uruk Northern variant·🇸🇾 Raqqa, Euphrates-Balikh confluence, Tell el-‘Abr hinterland, Syria
About
About Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City
Confluence proto-city excavated by Stein 2008–10, Halaf-Ubaid pottery mass and urban street plan.
Why it mattersKey Ubaid → Uruk Northern variant tell with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology and phasing
- 02Function of enclosure
Theories
- 01Seasonal gathering
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 5500 BCE Ubaid; LC city 3800 BCE
- Period
- Ubaid to Late Chalcolithic (5500–3300 BCE)
- Culture
- Ubaid → Uruk Northern variant
- Purpose
- 12 ha Ubaid proto-city — one of north Syria's largest Ubaid centres before Uruk, burnt 3900 BCE
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1934
- Excavation
- Excavated
1990 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City
c. 1500 BCE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City
On the ground
Structures & features
35.9580° N · 39.1120° E · 265 m · 3 mapped features
Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City — Principal Palace
palacepalace at Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City — subsidiary complex
35.9589° N · 39.1123° ETell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City — Northern Temple
templetemple at Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City — hydraulic feature
35.9577° N · 39.1106° ETell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City — Gate Annex 3
gategate at Tell Zeidan — Euphrates Confluence Proto-City — outlier feature
35.9575° N · 39.1139° E