Tel Sheikh Hamad

Tel Sheikh Hamad, an ancient river port on the Khabur, was the site where the Assyrians established the city of Dor-Ketlimo in the 13th century BC, in order to control the trade in copper and wool. The palace of the ruler contains plaster floors and grain storage vaults surrounding an inner courtyard. An archive of 300 clay tablets was uncovered by a German expedition; many of these tablets are bilingual (Assyrian-Aramaic) and document the collection of taxes from the Khabur tribes. Although the site was damaged by illegal excavations in 2014, the earthen ramparts and lower galleries remain in good condition following the backfilling of the excavation with sticky clay. Plans for the future include a viewing platform for tourists, as well as a project to demonstrate Late Iron Age irrigation techniques.