Explore the Map
Tell Leilan
36.9572° N, 41.5053° E
About
Tell Leilan is an archaeological site situated near the Wadi Jarrah in the Khabur River basin in Al-Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria. The site has been occupied since the 5th millennium BC. During the late third millennium, the site was known as Shekhna. During that time it was under control of the Akkadian Empire and was used as an administrative center. Around 1800 BC, the site was renamed "Šubat-Enlil" by the king Shamshi-Adad I, and it became his residential capital. Shubat-Enlil was abandoned around 1700 BC.
Historical Timeline
Journey through time and discover key events in this site's history
Abandonment
c. 1700 BC
Cuneiform archive date
18th century BC
Sack by Samsu-iluna
1726 BC
Shamshi-Adad I makes it capital
c. 1800 BC
Modern excavations
1979–2008
Late third-millennium drought layer
c. 2200 BC
Major urban growth
c. 2600 BC
Founding as farming village
c. 5000 BC
Archaeological Features
Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site
Defensive Structures
Public and Civic Structures
Religious and Ritual Structures
Artistic and Decorative Features
Domestic and Habitation Structures
Environmental and Natural Features
Transportation and Communication Structures
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan Your Visit
Tours, travel arrangements, and practical information
More Sites in Syria
Qatna
Bronze Age capital tell in western Syria
Tell Fekheriye
Syrian tell with Middle and Neo-Assyrian remains
Tell Djassa
Early Dynastic tell in Syria's Khabur Triangle
Tell Aqab
Ancient settlement with Halaf-Ubaid pottery.
Tuttul
Middle Bronze Age sacred city at Tell Bi'a, Syria
Umm el-Marra
Ancient trade hub with rich tombs