Results from the drone survey at Umm el-Ajjaj (Dhi-Qar, Iraq), an ED I site in the "Heartland" of Cities
Résumé
A new international field mission, funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, is planned for the beginning of 2025, centred on the site of Umm el-Ajjaj (Dhi-Qar, southern Iraq). The long-term goal is to achieve a better characterisation of Early Dynastic I urbanism in southern Mesopotamia through an extensive excavation of a medium-sized (60 ha) "monoperiod" site. The first mission will consist of an intensive magnetometric survey (by M. Scheiblecker) of the site surface, combined with UAV photogrammetry, followed by surface collection. A survey and sounding of the looted areas will also be carried out by M. Mura. The presentation will focus on methodological aspects (trying to combine the best practices of the existing field missions) and the results of the first season, which should correspond to a first view of the urban layout of this ED I city