Tell Ramad

{{Infobox ancient site

|name = Tell Ramad

|native_name = تل رماد

|alternate_name =

|image =

|alt =

|caption =

|map_type = Syria

|map_alt =

|map_size = 200

|location ={{convert|20|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of Damascus, Syria

|region = Damascus basin

|coordinates = {{coord|33.360178|35.948949|display=inline}}

|type = Tell

|part_of = village

|length =

|width =

|area ={{convert|2|ha|ft2}}

|height =

|builder =

|material = clay, limestone

|built = c. 10,000–8000 BC

|abandoned =

|epochs =PPNA, PPNB, Neolithic

|cultures =

|dependency_of =

|occupants =

|event =

|excavations = 1963–1973

|archaeologists = Henri de Contenson

|condition = ruins

|ownership =

|management = Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums

|public_access = Yes

|website =

|notes =

}}

Tell Ramad ({{langx|ar|تل رماد}}) is a prehistoric, Neolithic tell at the foot of Mount Hermon, about {{convert|20|km|mi}} southwest of Damascus in Syria. It was inhabited as early as 10,000-8000 BC.{{Cite web |title=Ancient City of Damascus |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/20/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=whc.unesco.org}}

History

The tell was the site of a small village of {{convert|2|ha|ft2}}, which was first settled in the late 8th millennium BC.

Notable features from the earliest stage include a number of 3–4 metre diameter, lime-plaster floored, clay lined oval pits with ovens & clay bins that were suggested to have been used as houses.{{cite book |last=Moore |first=A.M.T. |url=http://ancientneareast.tripod.com/74.html |title=The Neolithic of the Levant |date=1978 |publisher=Oxford University, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis |pages=192–198}}

Tell Ramad is notable as one of the few sites fundamental to the understanding of the origin of agriculture with finds including various types of domesticated wheat, barley and flax. Emmer wheat is an important characteristic of Basin sites in this area, where it is thought to have been introduced. Wild plant foods include pistachios, almonds, figs and wild pears.{{cite journal| authorlink1 = Gordon Hillman|last=Hillman|first=Gordon|title=On the Origins of Domestic rye: Secale Cereale: The Finds from Aceramic Can Hasan III in Turkey|journal=Anatolian Studies|volume=28|year=1978|pages=157–174|doi=10.2307/3642748|jstor=3642748}}{{cite journal | doi=10.1007/s10722-010-9650-9 | volume=58 | issue=8 | title=Genetic evidence for early flax domestication with capsular dehiscence | journal=Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution | pages=1119–1128|year = 2011|last1 = Fu|first1 = Yong-Bi}}{{Cite book

| last = Harris

| first = David R.

| title = The origins and spread of agriculture and pastoralism in Eurasia

| publisher = Routledge

| date = 1996

| page = 253

| isbn = 978-1-85728-538-3 }}

Excavations

The tell was discovered by French customs officers, M Company and Lieutenant Potut. Laurisson Ward visited again in 1939 and collected material from the surface, now in the Peabody Museum. Tell Ramad lay somewhat forgotten until it was rediscovered by W.J. van Liere and Henri de Contenson, the latter leading excavations in 8 seasons between 1963 and 1973.{{Cite book

| last2 = Schwartz

| first2 = Glenn M.

| last = Akkermans

| first = Peter M. M. G.

| title = The Archaeology of Syria: From Complex Hunter-Gatherers to Early Urban Societies (c. 16,000–300 BC)

| publisher = Cambridge University Press

| date = 2003

| page = 109

| isbn = 978-0-521-79666-8 }}

Tell Ramad

History

Excavations

See Also

Footnotes

Further reading