Tell al-Wilayah is an archaeological site in the

Wasit Governorate Wasit Governorate ( ar, واسط, translit=Wāsit) is a governorate in eastern Iraq, south-east of Baghdad and bordering Iran. Prior to 1976 it was known as Kut Province. Major cities include the capital Al-Kut, Al-Hai and Al-Suwaira. The governo ...

of eastern

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

. The site has now been completely destroyed by large scale looting. It is located around 20 km southwest of the modern city of Kut and 6 kilometers southwest of

Tulul al-Baqarat Tulul al-Baqarat or Tulūl al-Baqarāt, is an ancient Near East archaeological site in Wasit Governorate of Iraq. It is located seven kilometers to the northeast of Tell al-Wilayah (with which it was connected by an ancient canal) and 20 kilomete ...

History

The site is dated to the

Akkadian Akkadian or Accadian may refer to: * Akkadians, inhabitants of the Akkadian Empire * Akkadian language, an extinct Eastern Semitic language * Akkadian literature, literature in this language * Akkadian cuneiform Cuneiform is a logo- syllabi ...

and

Ur III The Third Dynasty of Ur, also called the Neo-Sumerian Empire, refers to a 22nd to 21st century BC ( middle chronology) Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state which some historians consider t ...

periods. It has been suggested as the location of

Kesh (Sumer) Kesh was an ancient Sumerian city and religious site, whose patron goddess was Ninhursag. Its location is uncertain; some of the possible sites put forth include Al-Ubaid, near Ur, or Tell al-Wilayah near Adab or Abu Salabikh though the consensu ...

, now thought to be at

. It has also been proposed as the site of

Irisaĝrig Irisaĝrig (also Urusagrig, Iri-Saĝrig, and Al-Šarrākī) was an ancient Near East city in Iraq whose location is not known with certainty but is currently thought to be at the site of Tell al-Wilayah, on the ancient Mama-šarrat canal off the T ...

Archaeology

There were two mounds. Tell al-Wilayah I covered 64 hectares with a height of 5 meters. Tell al-Wilayah II covered about 4.5 hectares and rose to about 5 meters above the plain. Iraqi archaeologists worked the site in 1958. Sixteen degraded whole and partial cuneiform tablets of the Old Akkadian and Ur II periods were found in robber holes, discarded by looters. Also found were two Old Akkadian clay jar sealings, and ivory figurine and two Ur III bricks, of Shu-Shin and

Shulgi Shulgi ( dŠulgi, formerly read as Dungi) of Ur was the second king of the Third Dynasty of Ur. He reigned for 48 years, from c. 2094 – c. 2046 BC (Middle Chronology) or possibly c. 2030 – 1982 BC (Short Chronology). His accomplishme ...

. A palace was found at the northwest corner of the mound, constructed with plano-convex bricks. In response to major looting, the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage conducted excavations in 1999 and 2000. Five Old Akadian cuneiform tablets were found.Abather R.Saadoon, New Cuneiform Texts from Tell Al-Wilaya (ancient Kesh?) Kept in Iraqi museum, 2014

History

Archaeology

References

See also