Umm Dabaghiyah

Early 6th-millennium BC type site of the Umm Dabaghiyah culture, the earliest-known culture of the northern Iraq plain, a pre-Hassuna occupation of Mesopotamia. The small site has long buildings with rows of small cell-like rooms arranged around a central space. Some wall paintings have been recorded with hunting scenes - something relied upon heavily for the economy. Domesticated sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs were also kept and some domesticated cereals are present, possibly imported. Pottery is abundant in all the four main phases and includes incised, burnished, plain, and painted types similar to 'archaic' Hassuna pottery. Other sites of this culture are Yarim Tepe, Telul Thalathat, and Tell es-Sotto (Tell Soto).

Early 6th-millennium be type site of the Umm Dabaghiyah culture, the earliest known culture in the north Iraq plain. The site is small (less than one hectare), but has yielded some interesting architectural remains long buildings consisting of rows of small cell-like rooms without obvious means of access, which are interpreted as communal storehouses. Ordinary houses also occur, with evidence of living rooms, kitchens and storage rooms. Some wall paintings have been recorded, showing onager (wild ass) hunting scenes. The importance of hunting in the economy is clearly indicated by the animal remains, 84 per cent of which are made up of two species of wild animals, gazelle and onager, although domesticated sheep, goats, cattle and pigs were also kept. Cereal and pulse remains have been found, but because the area is today an arid gypsum salt covered steppe, the excavator, Diana Kirkbride, has suggested that plant foods were imported (in exchange for animal products, such as onager hides). This is one possible explanation, but as Umm Dabaghiyah is only just outside the area where rain-fed farming is possible today, it may be that slightly different climatic conditions in the 6th millennium be would have allowed dry farming to be practised then. Pottery is abundant in all the four main phases and includes painted types similar to ‘archaic’ Hassuna pottery. Indeed, the Umm Dabaghiyah culture can be regarded as ancestral to Hassuna. Other sites of this culture are Yarim Tepe and Tell es-Sotto further north.