Reading Rubbish

Around the year 1230 BC Assyrian forces conquered the area of modern North Syria. To consolidate power in the region, and to make use of its agricultural potential, numerous farming settlements were founded. One such settlement, a so-called dunnu, has been discovered and excavated at Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria. The settlement was relatively large and appears to have been heavily fortified. This study investigates the activities carried out in the settlement, and its function, through analysis of the objects found in the various rooms and courtyards. The mode of their deposition is subject to rigorous investigation: were these objects discarded as garbage, or were they left behind during rapid abandonment following some catastrophe? This approach has resulted in a re-evaluation of the nature and use of the Tell Sabi Abyad dunnu, and has aided in altering the understanding of how the Assyrian Empire consolidated its power in newly conquered areas.