Test trenching in the immediate vicinity of the mounded site of Girda Dasht (Iraqi-Kurdistan, district of Soran)

• Applicants: Dr. Tobias Helms; Privatdozent Dr. Tim Kerig
• Subject Area: Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies ; Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: from 2020 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 449459886

We are applying for funds to realize a limited archaeological investigation (test trench) into a concentration of predominantly neo- and chalcolithic material in Soran, Iraqi Kurdistan. The site is situated on a fluvial terrace in closest vicinity to the mounded site of Girda Dasht. We plan to lay out a 5 by 3 m trench to investigate site formation processes, the presence of built structures and the stratigraphic sequence. The applicants have a valid excavation permit. The fieldwork aims demonstrating the applicants‘ continuous presence in the wider region. Such a presence is crucial for future work especially for the already established collaborations with the directorate of Antiquities at Soran, the General Directorate at Erbil and at Soran University.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants