Larsa visit and photos - Page 1

Tell Senkereh (Larsa)
Visited 05.15-06.12, 7 June, 2008
Larsa lies approximately 20 km south-west of Uruk.

Excavations have been conducted at the site by W. K. Loftus (1854), W. Andrae (1903), A. Parrot (1933, 1967), J.-C. Margueron (1967-70) and J.-L. Huot (1976-91).

W. K. Loftus, Travels and Researches in Chaldaea and Susiana (London, 1857);  J-L. Huot, Larsa, Travaux de 1985 (Paris, 1989); J.-L. Huot, Larsa, Travaux de 1987 et 1989 (Beirut, 2003).

Although some evidence suggests the site was occupied during the Ubaid period, the earliest excavated phases are Early Dynastic in date (c. 2900-2350 BC). In the early second millennium BC the city rose to political prominence, and it remained a major settlement until the Parthian period. Excavations have concentrated on the E.Babbar temple and ziggurat. Several large houses of the Old Babylonian period were also uncovered.

The site was extensively looted in 2003; at the end of that year a guard tower was erected and the presence of a guard deterred further looting. The helicopter landed to the east of the E-Babbar mound and the team moved to the guard tower; this had been used for target practice from the north-east which had peppered the tower with holes – the tower had not been visited for some time as demonstrated by a nest with a young hawk within the observation platform. There are at least five designated guards for the site, based at Nasiriya, but none was present during the inspection visit. From the top of the E-Babbar and neighbouring smaller mounds there was little evidence of looting holes, and no clear evidence of recent looting. Large areas of the site are now covered with sand or eroded brick. The site is unfenced.