About Kurd Qaburstan
The Kurd Qaburstan Archaeological Project explores the largest known Bronze Age site on the Erbil plain, offering an overview of its significance and research history. Spanning over 100 hectares, the site dates to around 1800 BC, providing a rare opportunity to study an ancient Mesopotamian city during a pivotal stage of its development. Its strategic location between the Upper and Lower Zab rivers established Kurd Qaburstan as a center for trade, politics, and cultural exchange in northern Mesopotamia (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Regional map showing notable archaeological sites on the Erbil plain.
Overview of Kurd Qaburstan
Around 1800 B.C., Kurd Qaburstan developed into a walled urban complex. At nearly 100 hectares (Figure 2), it was the largest city on the Erbil plain. Its strategic position between the Upper and Lower Zab rivers underscores its historical importance in regional trade and politics.
Archaeological investigations have revealed a well-planned layout. A central mound rises nearly twenty meters above the plain and was likely walled when Kurd Qaburstan was a major city. Another massive city wall also enclosed the site’s large lower town. Key discoveries include monumental districts, such as a lower-town palace and temple. Geophysical surveys and excavations demonstrate a densely occupied city organized into neighborhoods where everyday people lived.
Recent research has increasingly focused on these residential districts within the city. Artifacts, including fine pottery, everyday ceramics, and other manufactured goods, emphasize the city’s advanced craft production and economic organization.
Figure 2: Digital Elevation Model of Kurd Qaburstan showing the city walls and surrounding layout.
Kurd Qaburstan in Antiquity
The history of Kurd Qaburstan has its origins in the high mound. Over time, Mesopotamian cities form deep deposits of cultural debris. Much of the volume of these mounds is composed of air-dried mudbrick, a convenient building material given the lack of trees. Such mounds are also covered in surface artifacts like fired pottery pieces. The presence of older pottery suggests that the site was first occupied in the late third millennium BC, if not earlier. However, the settlement did not become a city until much later.
Around 1800 BC, Kurd Qaburstan grew into a large, walled city. Historical sources suggest it is ancient Qabra, known from Old Babylonian texts. Qabra was a major city-state engaged in regional conflicts and alliances. Its rivals included powerful rulers like Shamshi-Adad I and Dadusha of Eshnunna. Although it was a powerful state during the Middle Bronze Age, Qabra seems to have disappeared from the sources of later periods.
Researchers continue to study why this once-prominent city eventually faded into obscurity. Excavations by Johns Hopkins University showed that the high mound was reoccupied by a smaller settlement during the early Late Bronze Age. However, the expansive lower town was abandoned. Today, it lies buried beneath modern barley fields, awaiting future discoveries.
History of Research at Kurd Qaburstan
Compared to other Mesopotamian cities, Kurd Qaburstan has been researched for a relatively short period of time. The site was identified in 2012 by the Erbil Plain Archaeological Survey, directed by Jason Ur of Harvard University. From 2013 to 2022, pioneering excavations were led by Dr. Glenn Schwartz from the Johns Hopkins University.
In 2024, Dr. Tiffany Earley-Spadoni of the University of Central Florida began new investigations at the site, supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant 2344957). This research builds on earlier work while introducing innovative approaches to deepen our understanding of early urbanism, social structures, and economic systems in ancient northern Mesopotamia.
The relatively recent study of Kurd Qaburstan means that the site has benefitted from the highest modern research standards. Advanced archaeological methods and scientific techniques have allowed researchers to uncover and preserve its history in exceptional detail. Unlike other ancient Mesopotamian cities, Kurd Qaburstan’s story hasn’t been complicated by outdated or poorly documented excavations from earlier times.
Ongoing investigations ensure that Kurd Qaburstan remains at the forefront of archaeological research. The project offers valuable insights into daily life in the ancient Middle East to help preserve this important site for future generations.