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Image Title calendar2024-01-28

Zarzi was used by groups of hunter-gatherers between 18,000 and 14,000 years ago.

The cave here at Zarzi was used by groups of hunter-gatherers between 18,000 and 14,000 years ago. Zarzi Cave was excavated by Dorothy Garrod in 1928 and by Iraqi archaeologist Ghanim Wahida in 1971.

Image Title calendar2024-01-28

MAGNETIC INVESTIGATIONS IN THE SHAHRIZOR PLAIN, IRAQI KURDISTAN

Archaeological features, such as architecture etc. can be traced by high resolution and large-scale magnetometer prospecting. Moreover, soil magnetic data deliver additional information about the alteration of the ancient landscape. In combination with an archaeological survey, the geophysical results can provide information to reconstruct the spatial organization within these settlements as well as an epoch-spanning analysis of settlements and their role in urbanization processes and within settlement hierarchies.

Image Title calendar2024-01-29

Excavations at Shaikh Marif, Iraqi Kurdistan Preliminary Report of the First Season (2022)

Grdi-Shaikh Marif The archaeological site of Shaikh Marif, located in the Shahrizor Plain ca. 500 m south of Gird Shamlu along the Wadi Shamlu, was registered by the Iraq Museum in 1943. In November 2012, the Shahrizor Survey Project additionally identified several new artificial mounds near Shaikh Marif. Among them, a cluster of two tiny mounds is called, together with Shaikh Marif itself, “Se Tapanسێ تەپان ” by the local people, and thus all three mounds were designated “Shaikh Marif”: Shaikh Marif I (the original northern mound), Shaikh Marif II (a western mound also called “Ash Shaikh Marif” by the locals), and Shaikh Marif III (an eastern mound). The land is seasonally cultivated today, and the water of the Darband-i Khan Dam Lake occasionally covers almost entire areas of the mounds. Owing to modern cultivation and the erosion by flowing water, a large amount of archaeological materials were easily observed on the surface. While no prehistoric material was identified at Shaikh Marif III, numerous Late Neolithic potsherds were scattered across the other two mounds as well as the materials dated to the younger periods. The date of these Late Neolithic sherds was estimated to be ca. 6400 6000 BC. A Japanese archaeological team (directed by Takahiro Odaka, Kanazawa University) excavated Shaikh Marif II in 2022 and revealed the Late Neolithic layers, which directly accumulated on the virgin soil. Most of the finds were dated to ca. 6100-6000 BC, although a small amount of the artefacts from the historical periods indicate human activities in the middle Medieval and the Ottoman Periods.

Opening a scientific course for training and teaching in photogrammetry program

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Training course on photogrammetry program was held from 18/2/2024 to 23/2/2024 in Slemani.  The course was taught by archaeologist Tiago Costa for a few days.  In the course, students were taught in practice and theory on the use of the program (Meta shape) to create 3D images, as well as how to photograph archaeological pieces and use drones for archaeological work.  

Then create a contour map of the archaeological site and restore the heritage houses.  

During the course, the students worked on the photographs of the archaeological pieces in the Slemani Museum and then the photos were taken by drone on the archaeological hill of Tapa Kal in Zhala village in southeastern Slemani.

The course was attended by several students from from Slemani Directorate of antiquities and heritage, Slemani University-department of Archeology and cultural heritage organization.

 At the end of the course, certificates were awarded to all participants.

 The supervisors of the course have previously opened similar courses in the cities of (Mosul, Baghdad and Nasiriyah).  The partners of this project so far are:

Creative Europe – STATE BOARD FOR ANTIQUITIES & HERITAGE, IRAQ – The Fact stories – SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY OF ROME – carare – doppel – University of Slemani – Slemani Antiquities & Heritage Directorate

 To learn more about previous activities in different places, please visit this website.  T4H – Training local people in 3D digitization of Cultural Heritage in Iraq (tech4heritage.com).