(iol pase Fit ASH & ‘EXCAVATIONS AT HASANLU, IRAN: A NINTH CENTURY B.C. MANNAEAN FORTRESS A Slide Collection with Notes M, de Schauensee Hasanlu 4s a mounded site located near Nagadeh in the northern Soldus Valley just south of Lake Urmia in Azerbajian, Iran, The mound is composed of a flat "Outer Tow" area surrounding a higher central "Citadel" area, The total circumference of the mound is about one mile and the total height about seventy~ five feet. Excavations in the Outer Town area during the 1958 season and from the top of the Citadel to the water table during the 1960 season show that the mound was occupied from before 000 B.C, to Islamic times, Virgin soil has not been reached due to the rising of the water table. Hasaniu has been excavated for four seasons; during 1957 and 1956 by the Joint Expedition of The University Museum, Philadelphia,and the Archaeological Service of Iran under the direction of Mr. Robert Hy Dyson, Jr., Assistant Curator of the Near Eastern Section of The University Museun, These two insti- tutions were Joined by the Metropolitan Museum, New York, for the 1959 and 1960 seasons again under the direction of Mr. Dyson, Fairly extensive excavations on the Citadel have been made in the top four levels of the mound, These levels belong to an Islamic phase (modern), a "uystery period" (date uncertain), a "triangle ware"(c. 600 B.C.)phase and a "grey ware" phase (c. 1000-800 B.C.). Below lie a "button base" phase (1200-1000 B.C.), a "Painted Orange Ware" phase (c. 2000 B.C.), and a Pisdeli (ec. 3500 B.C.), Dalma and Hage Firuz (045000 B.C.) phase, :. The last three phases take their names from the sites near Hasanlu in the Solduz Valley at which they were first discovered by the Joint Expedition.2 Most of the work has been concentrated on the Grey Ware phase which was destroyed by fire during the ninth century B.C, After its destruction the tom was lived in for a short time by survivors as shown by poorly built houses among ‘the ruins of the burned structures, The buildings of the Grey Ware phase are well built structures of large square unbaked bricks set on stone foundations. ‘The walls were first covered with mud plaster, then with white lime plaster. ‘Two main buildings of similar plan, called Burned Buildings I and II, and some smaller ones have been excavated thus far. Both of these buildings have a large hall roofed over except possibly above a small paved area with a drain, That these buildings were roofed is evident from the impressions of columns on the walls and on the double rows of raised colum bases in the canter of the halls. Some of these bases were covered by fragments of charred wood, now identified 8 common poplar, a tree still in use in the area, It is also evident that the ‘uildings were at least two storied because of the amount of brick collapse found, the height of the preserved walls, sections of fallen wall, and the fact that many objects were found in a layer above the ground floor level. In addition one small room at the northeast end of B.B, II was found containing a staircasc. Between these two buildings and running through the citadel gate paved streets have been found, each with a covered drain running beneath it, Other covered rains run through some of the rooms of the buildings, The citadel was sur- rounded by a strong fortification wall also of unbaked brick on stone foundations. ‘The foundations of this wall measure some 6 feet high and 9 feet thick. It sas strengthened at regular intervals by stone piers and projecting towers, Within the buildings quantities of objects made of pottery, copper, iron and sometimes silver and gold have been found. The pottery in the citadel is aimost always a highly burnished or polished grey to black fine ware (but also red and buff) including characteristic vessels with spouts and with tab handles.3. Besides the pottery ornaments of bronze and iron, and beads of stone, frit and other materials have been found scattered in the buildings or on the bodies of people trapped by the collapsing walls. Iron and bronze swords and daggers and quantities of iron spearheads and arrowheads have been found. In spite of the evidences of a well-developed and sophisticated culture no writing has yet been found. Excavations have been made in the "Outer Town" area as well as the "Citadel", A private house which seems to have belonged to a bronze worker as show by stoue nowlds for axes, etc, has been found, The main use of the area, however, was as a cemetery, Most of the graves are quite similar and usually contain one grey spouted vessel, occasionally with a tripod stand, a shallow red or grey Gish containing the bones from an offering of part of a sheep or goat and from cne to several grey or red small jars, The skeleton was usually equipped with bronze and sometimes iron bracelets, rings and long pins, The latter were laid from the shoulders across the chest, probably fastening the shroud, Sometimes there was also a bronze belt or strip Studded with nails and usually a bead necklace, The slides listed have been selected to give an idea of the Grey Ware or 9th Century B.C. phase of the civilization of Hasmlu.he 1, Map showing the location of Hasanlu, the other excavated sites in the area and some modern towns. 2. Aerial view of the site, The limits of the total circumference of the mound are shown by the ring of trees, The top of the citadel is defined ty the trench made in fairly recent times. The excavations on the citadel are visible in the center of the slide ad those of the Outer Town in the upper right, The modern village of Hasanlu is in the lower center of the slides 3. A general view of the excavations on the Citadel looking south with the mountains of Kurdistan in the background, 1k. Plan of the excavations on the "Citadel" through the 1959 season showing the fortification wall and gate, Burned Building I (with its pillared hall, ‘two long rooms with adjacent small rooms, and the large central court open at the northwest end). The doorways of the main rooms each have a stone threshold and the Portico doorway into the central court has the stone threshold and two stones at either side with impressions of two pillars on each as supports for the lintel, Paved "South Street" runs along the south side of this building, South of it is the staircase room and the first corner of Burned Building II. In this comer of B.B. IT set into ‘the floor and again on the bench in the southeast corner of the pillared hall of Burned Building I are large storage jars probably for liquids. 5. The "grand staircase" leading up to the central court of Burned Building I. The paved courtyard in front of the stairs ani behind them the entrance to the first large room of Burned Building I with two of its three threshold stones may be seen. 6. View of "South Street" looking west with walls of B.B. I on the right and BB, TI on the left, The slide is taken from inside a small room through which the street passes at its east end,De 7. The paved entrance to B.B. II with three stone stelae (one right and two center), The holes to right and left of the central stela originally held wooden posts supporting the lintel. 8, "Protective deity" forms the central knob from a glazed pottery wall tile found in B.B. I. This type of knob is very rare ~ more usval is a plain kmob decorated with chevron design in yellow, white and black paint. The body of this tile is covered with plain whitish glaze instead of the usual chevron designs of yellow, white and black. 9. A typical grave of the period in the "Outer Town" area. 1¢ contains a spouted vessel, buff storage jar containing sheep or goat bones and a small grey pot. Bronze spearhead and copper belt strip were found among pots. Bones of a second individual lie near head, Arrow indicates north, 19, Typical. copper/bronze jewelry showing a long pin, coiled ring, bezel ring, twisted bracelet, plain bracelet and ring decorated with knobs, onze lion with projecting tongue, chased decoration, a linked copper chain and long iron pin, Such "pins" have been excavated in the citadel mound during the 1959 and 1960 seasons. During the 1960 excavations hl, bodies of teenage girls were found around the entrance to the pillared hall of B.B. II each associated with one or more of these lions. The use of these lions has not yet been determined, 12, A cylinder seal with a copper/bronze ring presumably for attachment or suspension. Made of steatite the seal shows winged griffon apposed to horned stag. Star and crescent in background indicate along with style Assyrian inspiration if not actual manufacture. 13, Bone container with incised circles. Though often called "handles" such objects may have been used as containers as indicated by the four feet and the discovery of one filled with a substance resembling graphite,6. A polished grey ware vessel with tab handles, typical of pottery found on the citadel, called "palace ware" due to its thinness and fine quality. 15. A typical spouted grey ware vessel with the tripod stand upon which it was found in a grave in the Outer Tow area, The stands are found more rarely than the vessels, Fragnents of both spouted vessels and stands have been found on the citadel in both Burned Buildings. 16. A typical tripod stone bowl carved from a single piece of dense grey stone and ornamented at the legs with horned animal heads. This vessel was found in BB. I. 17. A copper/bronze rhyton in the shape of a ram's head. The interior of this vessel is lined with a plain separate cup reaching as far down as the eye, ‘The edge of the interior cup is folded over the exterior rim. The border of the exterior is decorated with repoussé paired kneeling animals con- fronting a sacred tree. This border strip and the horns were originally overlaid with silver. ‘The eyes, eyebrows and upper line of the nose were inlaid with "Egyptian Blue" glass paste some of which still remains, The rhyton or drinking vessel was found in B.B, I and is now in the Archaeological Museum in Teheran, Iran. 48, Copper/bronze maceheads were among the weapons found on the citadel. Three types are shown here, Originally they had boxwood shafts about a foot ‘Longe 19. A Libation vessel made of "Egyptian Blue" glass paste partly overlaid with gold leaf, The vessel represents a lion with open mouth, tongue extended into the bowl which it holds between its forepaws, The outside of the vessel is decorated with two Imman-headed reclining winged bulls, It was found in B.B. II. It is now in the Archaeological Museum, Teheran,Y Te 20, Base of the Libation vessel in the previous slide showing a hand with a gilded rosette holding the bowl, 21. "Hasanlu Bowl"found in a small room of B.B, I near the arms of a soldier is solid gold, The body of the vessel bears two registers of repouseé and chased figures, It was originally circular but was crushed in the collapse of the building, Due to the amount of debris below it,it is evident that it had fallen from the second floor with the soldier, For detailed description see article by Mith Porada in Museum's EXPEDITION for Spring 1959. 22,"Hasanlu Bowl,"the reverse side. 23."Hasanlu Bowl,"base showing four sheep around a chased checkerboard, For further background reading see: TRAN = GENERAL: Roman Ghirshman 195) Iran, Pelican Books HASANLU EXCAVATIONS: Robert H. Dyson, Jr. 1960 Where the Golden Bowl of Hasanlu was Found. Illustrated London News Jan 23, ~ Excavations at Hasanlu, near Lake Urmia Part IT. Iiustrated London News Feb 13, 19% Hasanlu and Early Iran. Archaeology Summer ‘The Death of a City. Eypedition Spring 1960 Raith Porada 1959 The Hasanlu Bowl, Expedition Spring 1959