The Archaeological Landscape of the Balikh Valley, Syria

In previous field seasons, we first mapped landscape features and archaeological sites using aerial photographs and then we identified, described, and interpreted in the field those features that were recognizable on the photographs. This procedure resulted in a series of maps detailing the archaeological landscape comprising settlement sites, ancient "hollow way" roads, canals, miscellaneous quarries, and natural landscape features as described in earlier annual reports. Aerial photographic mapping generally proceeded ahead of the more laborious process of field checking (as illustrated on fig. 1) and in 1994 we were able to expand our database by excavating archaeological soundings and The Western Jazira Project employing exposed soil sections to provide "control" for the survey data. This added a third layer to the project methodology and enabled our earlier interpretations both to be strengthened and revised. In 1994 the field team was increased to four with myself as team leader; Eleanor Barbanes (University of California, Berkeley), surveying, drawing, and field assistant; Fokke Gerritsen (a former student in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations), in charge of excavating the main SahlanHammam canal; and Gregory Munson (a graduate student in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations), field assistant. As before, we received an immense amount of help from our colleagues of the Sabi Abyad field team from the Netherlands National Museum, Leiden, under the directorship of Peter M. M. G. Akkermans. Thanks must also go to the various members of the Directorate