West Kurdistan · Rojava · Ancient Mesopotamia
Urkesh (Tell Mozan)
Capital of the Hurrians, a mountain people of the third millennium BC, with a temple raised on a monumental terrace above the plain.
- Period
- c. 4000–1300 BC
- Place
- Near Amûdê, Jazira
- Region
- West Kurdistan · Rojava
- Age
- Ancient Mesopotamia
The Hurrians came from the highlands at the edge of Mesopotamia, and Urkesh was their holy city. Its temple stood on a great stepped terrace, with a monumental stair leading up to it — a building meant to be seen from far across the plain.
The royal palace of King Tupkish, around 2250 BC, and a deep stone-lined underground shaft used for rituals of the underworld were found here. The excavation, ongoing since 1984, is known for working with the people of the nearby villages to protect the site.
Chosen and introduced by Aram Mizuri, architect in Erbil