2006 Season
Surface collections indicate that the major periods of occupation at Balabra West are Late Halaf and an undetermined later period, probably Iron Age, represented by a large monumental structure built atop the earlier Halaf mound. The large mudbricks of this structure are visible on the surface. The much larger Balabra East dates to the Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Islamic Period. There is also a significant amount of slag from ancient metallurgy present atop Balabra East.
We also completed a topographic map of the site, which is surrounded by irrigated fields and bisected by a modern road. Balabra East covers 15 ha, dwarfing the smaller Balabra West (5 ha) nearby.
