Archive and collection of the "Lower Habur Archaeological Project“
The archive and the collection of the "Lower Habur Archaeological Project" (LHAP) contain the documentation and study objects of the archaeological research projects carried out in Syria under the direction or with the participation of Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne during his time at the Free University of Berlin (01.07.1980-30.09.2010). These were in detail:
1. Archaeological survey of the Lower Habur
Institution: Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients (TAVO).
Realisation: 1975, 1977.
Director: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Röllig †.
Field director: Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
2. Excavation at Tell Sheikh Hamad
Institutions: Freie Universität Berlin, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, National Museum Deir az-Zor.
Realisation: 1978–2010.
Director: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
Sub-projects:
- 2.1 Tall Šēḫ Ḥamad – texts
Director: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Röllig †
Authors: Prof. Dr. Eva Cancik-Kirschbaum, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Röllig †, Dr. Saqer Salah - 2.2 Interdisciplinary project: The reconstruction of the environment at the Lower Habur in the late Holocene.
Institution: Freie Universität Berlin.
Realisation: 1982-1995.
Director: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
Directors of sub-projects: Prof. Dr. Sytze Bottema†, Prof. Dr. Peter Ergenzinger, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Frey, Prof. Dr. Harald Kürschner, Prof. Dr. Hans Hopfinger, Dr. Friedhelm Krupp, Dr. Wolfgang Schneider †, Dr. Cornelia Becker, Dr. Ursula Smettan, Dr. Holger Schutkowski †, Prof. Dr. Willem van Zeist †.
- 2.3 Geophysical survey of the ancient settlement site of Tell Sheikh Hamad.
Institutions: Freie Universität Berlin, eastern atlas Leipzig/Berlin.
Realisation: 1999-2003.
Directors: Dipl. Geophys. Cornelius Meyer, Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
- 2.4 Building conservation of mud brick architecture at the "Roten Haus" (Red House).
Institutions: Freie Universität Berlin, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Tishreen University of Lattakia, Ingenieurbüro für Bauwerkserhaltung Weimar GmbH, Fachhochschule Erfurt.
Realisation: 1999-2010.
Directors: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne, Dr. Ing. Lothar Goretzki †, Dipl.-Ing. Rüdiger Burkhardt, Dipl. Ing. Stefan Kraska, stud.ing. Frank Gerdesmeier.
3. Archeological survey of Wadi Ajij
Institutions: Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients (TAVO); Freie Universität Berlin
Realisation: 1983, 1984.
Directors: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Röllig †, Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
Field directors: Reinhard Bernbeck, Peter Pfälzner.
4. Tell Bderi rescue excavation
Institutions: Freie Universität Berlin, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Realisation: 1985-1990.
Director: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
Field director: Dr. Peter Pfälzner.
Note: Most of the documents are currently located at the University of Tübingen.
5. Excavation at Tell Ajaja
Institution: Direction Générale des Antiquités et des Musées Damascus, Department Deir az-Zor.
Realisation: 1982, 1984, 1989, 1990.
Director: Asa’d Mahmoud (Deir ez-Zor).
Local participation: Excation project Tell Schech Hamad, Prof Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
6. Tell Dgherat-South rescue excavation
Institution: Freie Universität Berlin, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Realisation: 2000, 2002, 2003.
Director: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne.
Field director: Dr. Andreas Oettel.
7. Establishment of the permanent exhibition in the National Museum at Deir az-Zor
Institutions: Freie Universität Berlin, Direction Générale des Antiquités et des Musées Damascus.
Realisation: 1992-1996.
Directors: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Kühne, Prof. Dr. Sultan Muhesen, Asa’d Mahmoud, Knut Lohrer, Birgit Mershen.
Current status
The archive and collection are not accessible. They are currently being looked after by Prof. Dr Hartmut Kühne as part of a voluntary research position. Significant parts of the documentation of the Tell Sheikh Hamad excavation have been digitised and are accessible on the internet in the "Refubium" repository of the Freie Universität Berlin.
A permanent exhibition on the results of the Tell Sheikh Hamad excavation project entitled: "From Province to Global Importance: The Assyrian Metropolis Dur-Katlimmu" is located in the transverse corridor adjacent to seminar room -1.1062 opposite the "Café Holzkopf" in the building at Fabeckstr. 23-25, 14195 Berlin (Holzlaube).
Enquiries can be directed to: hartmut.kuehne@fu-berlin.de