New discoveries in Girsu (Tello, Iraq)

The Sumerian site of Girsu (modern day Tello, Iraq) is one of the great treasures of Iraqi heritage. It is among the earliest cities in the world with signs of occupation dating as far back as Ubaid 4 in the 5th millennium BCE. When the site was discovered in the 19th century and explored by early archaeologists between 1877 and 1933, the remains of a megacity were revealed. At its peak, Girsu covered hundreds of hectares.

The Girsu Project has been excavating at the site since 2015, providing new insights of its complex history through modern archaeological excavation standards and state-of-the-art scientific methods. Major conservation work is also being conducted to preserve the site’s cultural heritage for future generations.

The ongoing excavations have encountered some burials, but none as unusual as the double burial

discovered from the remains of a temple-related annex within the Sacred Precinct. While some aspects of this burial fall within expected funerary behaviour, its context and location deviates from conventional practices. The human remains, dating to the late 3rd millennium BCE, were discovered in a deposit of approximately 3000 clay balls. Currently, there are no other known examples of human interments with similar conditions from the region.

Dr Nina Maaranen (University of Warsaw) is specialised in the bioarchaeology of human remains in ancient SW Asia and the eastern Mediterranean. In the past decade, Maaranen has worked with human remains across the region, with excavation and field work experience from Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq. She is an active team member in the Sidon Excavation Project, Saqqara Burials Project, Berenike Archaeological Project, and the Girsu Project.