Tell Ezou

Discovery and survey

The site was discovered in 2004 through finds of bronze age and neolithic materials and three megalithic monuments as part of a survey by a combined project that commenced as a partnership of the Museum of Lebanese Prehistory, Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, the Mila and Fontanals Institution of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (Barcelona) and the International Institute for Prehistoric Research in the University of Cantabria (Santander). Scientific direction was carried out jointly by Dr. Michel Al-Maqdisi (Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Syria), Dr. Maya Haïdar Boustani (Museum Lebanese Prehistory, LSU) and Dr. Juan José Ibañez (Mila and Fontanals Institution).

Excavations

The site was badly damaged in 2007 by new work done with flattening bulldozers; only the eastern part of one tell mound remained, with another cut in two, one of the megalithic monuments had been completely destroyed in the process. Seven small soundings were taken in total, three hitting bedrock between ten and thirty centimeters, it was suggested that this could have been the result of recent demolition of the land for a plantation by a bulldozer. The four other soundings hit architectural remains.

Sounding FC82 revealed a foundation wall almost one meter wide formed by layers of basalt boulders. Similar boulders were found to the west may indicate the existence of another wall perpendicular to the first. Bronze age pottery along with a serrated sickle were found at this sounding and the walls and blocks suggested a rectangular building.

Sounding CA72 was taken in an area of 3 x 1 m where the surface layer suggested a mud wall, almost one meter wide in an east–west direction. The wall was preserved to a height of 1 cm. South of the wall was a bed of stones suggested to be a floor. This area was excavated and another floor found ten centimeters lower than the first made of large basalt stones with diameters ranging from twenty to thirty centimeters. The wall and the lower floor were suggested to be different layers of occupation, the walls for the first were not found. Beneath this, sandy black earth was found where the excavation was halted. Bronze age pottery and flint were collected and a fragment of a bronze object in the first level wall.

Sounding BQ97 excavated an area of 4 x 4 m. The surface was covered with a heap of stones which examination suggested was due to clearing of the fields for agriculture. The remains of a wall were found under this rockpile, again approximately one meter wide. This was another foundation wall following a northwest to southeast direction, formed by two layers of large blocks of basalt. The presence of two aligned blocks southwest of the wall may indicate another perpendicular to the first. Pottery recovered was dated to the bronze age and obsidian was found in this area including twelve carved pieces.

Sounding CQ87 was again a 4 x 4 m excavation which revealed a floor very near the surface that was semi-circular in shape and made of basalt stones with a diameter of approximately 10 cm. No walls were found but beneath these slabs was found another surface formed of flat tiled stones which are suggested to be two separate bronze age layers. Bronze age pottery was found along with a large number of worked flints and some obsidian. Lower still the team found another layer of architecture that they tentatively date to the neolithic, this consisted of a dirt floor bounded by three walls that had been beaten until leveled. The walls drew a rectangular plan. Some stones formed a circle in the west of the building suggested a post hole in the dirt floor. The structure seemed to be part of a rectangular house oriented in an east–west axis. The post hole was an equal distance from both long walls which are build directly on bedrock which is a natural layer of altered basalt. Neolithic pottery of this level is made by hand and is very coarse with simple straight or sometimes ovoid form and notable for its lack of decor. Three parts of a sickle were found and a fragment of an Amuq point arrowhead, showing signs of having been made hastily. One piece of obsidian was found in between the bronze age and neolithic levels.

Analysis and conclusions

The pottery is quite eroded and the bone is not preserved. The remains of flint evoke a very expeditious technology. There was an abundance of pieces of pressure carved obsidian that were used as tools. In addition, presence of maintenance products and splinters found with pieces indicates that this was worked on site. The relative importance of obsidian as stone tool material suggests the existence of a procurement network and distribution of this material from the Anatolian sources. Neolithic levels have been documented at the bottom of the CQ87 sounding. This has levelled architecture where part of 3 m wide rectangular house was documented, its length was not determined. A layer of stones was found at the base of wall, indoor clay floors and a possible post hole. The archaeological material of this level has some similarities to those of Al Wakara 1 (H122) and Wadi Qawyak (H130), located in the basalt plain further east.

Site conservation and potential demolition

Tell Ezou is located in a basaltic region with road access from Khirbat Al Hamam, where a well-preserved Bronze Age and neolithic site awaits a more extensive excavation. It is difficult to classify or schedule as a monument and is situated on private land. The owners were very understanding and the team very well received by the locals during their surveys. They, however, expressed their interest to turn the archaeological site into an olive plantation or wheat field. This may be his choice but he will have to clear the ancient blocks of basalt leftover from prehistory, an obvious risk to the site, but at least Doctor Boustani's team has recorded something here for local, regional and global heritage.