Qatna (Tell Mishrife)

It is located on the border between the fertile plain of the Orontes and the expanse of the Syrian steppe stretching eastwards towards Tadmor and to the banks of the Euphrates and cities such as Mari (Tell Hariri). As such, it is in an ideal position to take advantage of the cross-desert trade routes that undoubtedly existed throughout antiquity. 

The French explorer the Comte du Mesnil du Buisson excavated part of what he termed a 'palace' on the central Acropolis mound in the late 1920s and early 30s. Recently, excavations have been resumed by Syrian, German and Italian teams excavating at different points on the tell. Between them, the three teams have uncovered significant remains from the Middle and Late Bronze, and Iron Ages. 

The German team have excavated much more of the du Buisson's Middle Bronze Age palace (dating to the 18th century BC, and roughly contemporary with the palace at Mari). Perhaps the most remarkable find from this palace which the German team were kind enough to show the group at their dig-house were fragments of a wall-painting with scenes of what appears to be a garden. Amongst the plants and the flowers, a very common motif is that of the turtle. 

The Italians, excavating in the Lower City, have uncovered part of the Late Bronze Age palace complex, with some unique artefacts, including a remarkable and intriguing ceramic figurine representing a woman (?) with folded arms (?), and what appears to be a turtle on her head. In another area on the acropolis, the Germans have excavated an industrial quarter with a significant number of pottery kilns contemporary with the Late Bronze Age Palace of the Lower City. 

Also on the Acropolis, the Syrian team (unfortunately not excavating during our visit) has uncovered remains of the Iron Age Aramaean city. The architecture is substantial and extensive, suggesting that as with previous periods, Qatna was an extremely significant urban centre in the Iron Age. Culturally, the architecture and artefacts of Qatna place it firmly within the central Syrian Amorite sphere of influence, but links with Mesopotamia, particularly in the Middle Bronze Age, can be seen in both the scale of the architecture and the some of the finds.