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Iraq

Tell el-'Oueili

Earliest human settlement in Lower Mesopotamia.

Time Periods

Paleolithic

Paleolithic

Mesolithic

Mesolithic

Neolithic

Neolithic

Chalcolithic

Chalcolithic

Bronze Age

Bronze Age

Iron Age

Iron Age

Classical Period

Classical Period

Post-Classical Period

Post-Classical Period

Early Modern Period

Early Modern Period

Industrial Period

Industrial Period

Contemporary Period

Contemporary Period

Location

About

Tell el-'Oueili is an archaeological site located in Dhi Qar Governorate, southern Iraq, recognized as the earliest known human settlement in Lower Mesopotamia. Excavations at the site, directed by French archaeologist Jean-Louis Huot from 1976 to 1989, revealed sequential occupation layers that predate the famed city of Eridu. The site encompasses phases from the Ubaid period, including the unique Ubaid 0 phase, also known as the 'Oueili-phase, and extends into the Uruk Period. With a diameter of 200 meters and standing approximately 5 meters high, Tell el-'Oueili represents a significant prehistoric village settlement. Its discoveries provide valuable insights into the early development of human settlement and culture in Mesopotamia, challenging previous understandings of the region's ancient habitation timeline.

Archaeological Features

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Domestic and Habitation Structures

Villages

Historical Timeline

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Details

Country
Iraq
Source
Wikipedia