Tel Mozan

Tel Mozan marks the site of the ancient Hurrian city of Urkesh, spanning approximately 18 hectares at the edge of the Khabur River valley. Although settlement began in the fourth millennium BCE, the city flourished around 2200 BCE, when the ruling Hurrian dynasty established its royal palace—famous for clay seal impressions bearing the name of Queen Tupkish (Tushratzi).

Adjacent to the palace stands the “Temple of the Lion”, constructed with mudbrick coated in gypsum, and guarded by a basalt lion statue at its entrance. A stone-paved ceremonial passage leads underground to a ritual chamber, revealing a unique spiritual practice aimed at communicating with the divine realm.

tel Mozan is one of the few archaeological sites that offers direct insight into Hurrian urban, religious, and political life, making it a vital key to understanding early civilizations in northern Mesopotamia.