A 5 meter wide step trench was started along the East slope of Tell Tuneinir during the summer of 1987. The discoveries from the first season of excavation demonstrated that the site was occupied during the Ayyubid Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate, Umayyad Caliphate, Byzantine Period, Roman Period, and Hellenistic Period. Subsequent seasons of excavation would identify strata associated with the Parthians, Neo-Assyrians, Middle Assyrians, Babylonians, and Ninevite 5 culture. Fieldwork in Area 1 was directed by Professor Horace Hummel (Concordia Seminary in St. Louis), Elizabeth Alesi, and Rian Thum.
Area 1 viewed looking westward during the 2001 field season.

Area 1 viewed looking southward during the 2001 field season.

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Area 1 of Tell Tuneinir viewed during 1927 (Poidebard 1934: plate CXV-2). The image was captioned "Observatoir et reduit de la citadelle". Today, it is the most extensively excavation portion of the ancient city.

View of Area 1 on the first day of excavation during summer of 1987.

View of Area 1 during the first week of excavation; summer of 1987.

Professor Michael Fuller with Area 1 in the background, end of summer 1987

Professor Neathery Fuller on the side of Area 1 during summer 1987

Professor Michael Fuller in Area 1 during summer of 1988

Mark Hartmann working in Square 1 during the first week of excavation during the summer of 1987.

Professor Horace Hummel (Concordia Seminary) supervises excavation in the step trench during the summer of 1988.

Area 1 and Benchmark for Tuneinir photographed in 1997. A diesel engine and water pump sit in the pool called Ain Tuneinir (Arabic, Spring of Tuneinir), but also called Ain Nuah (Arabic, Spring of Noah). The spring runs dry only during the most severe droughts. Local villagers believe that the spring is connected with a volcanic tube cave on Jebel Kokup (Arabic, Mountain of the Heavenly Body) situated due north of Tuneinir.