Islamic Period Settlement in the Tell Leilan Region (Northern Jazira): The Material Evidence from the 1995 Survey

Abstract

This paper provides an initial evaluation of the settlement dynamics in the area around Tell Leilan
 (Northern Jazira) during the Islamic period based on the study of the ceramic material collected
 during the 1995 survey campaign. It concentrates on the description of ceramic groups and
 diagnostics, and is thus able to give a reliable dating for the Islamic period occupation in the
 region and allows us to trace an outline of settlement development in this rural landscape. The
 resulting patterns are discussed in the wider context of archaeological investigations in Northern
 Mesopotamia and Syria generally, and compared with data derived from textual sources which
 have generally provided a partial and incomplete account.