Habuba Kabira


Habuba Kabira is the site of an Uruk settlement along the Euphrates in Syria, founded during the later part of the Uruk period. It was about 800 mi from the city of Uruk. The site is now mostly underwater due to the Tabqa Dam project.

History

Habuba Kabira was built around 3500 BCE on a regular plain with strong defensive walls, but was abandoned after a few generations and never inhabited again. The site is around 18 hectares in area, with the walled area encompassing 10 hectares.
Lisa Cooper cites evidence from Heinrich, et al. 1969 as well as Heusch, 1980 indicating that the site was reinhabited from late Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age with reuse of building walls and the defensive walls.
There were also several other late Uruk enclaves and outposts in this general area. They include Arslantepe, Hassek Höyük, Jebel/Djebel Aruda, and Tepecik. Godin Tepe is a similar site in Iran.

Archaeology

The site was excavated for 9 seasons from 1969 to 1975 by a Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft team led by Ernst Heinrich and Eva Strommenger as part of the Tabqa Dam rescue excavation effort.