Area 2 is a residential quarter of the city situated on the summit of the mound. The associated material culture and construction characteristics of the Area 2 houses suggest that it was slightly more elite than the the Area 8 residential quarter. Work in Area 2 was supervised by Michael and Neathery Fuller during 1988 and 1989. Work resumed in this area during 1996 under the supervision of Jim Walker. Sixteen excavation units (squares 1-16) were excavated in 1988 and twelve excavation units (squares 17-28) were excavated in 1989. A crew returned during 1996 to remove balks in the initial sixteen squares, map the exposed walls, and probe for the next strata. One of the elite pottery wares found in Area 2 is lusterware. The paste, design, and quality of the lusterware is associated with the Raqqa Lusterware though it is possible that the point of manufacture could have been in Sinjar or Mosul.

Photograph of Area 2 from a ladder in 1996 with Jim Walker holding the stadia rod during final elevations.

Missy Loyet (right) and Ellen Belcher (left) carefully prepare an Ottoman Period burial for photography. Both infant and adult burials were discovered in Area II.


Photograph during 1989 of Area 2 looking South-Southeast. Ilkanid (14th century) stone and mortar walls are visible in the foreground.
What remained of the late Ayyubid Period walls attest to at least one large, elite house at the intersection of an east-west street and two north-south streets. The size and quality of construction of the house, as well as its location, would indicate that it was an elite residence of either Tuneinir's governor or its wealthiest family. Artifacts found in associated with this house include 12th and 13th century copper coins minted in Aleppo, Mayafarakin, and Sinjar. An interesting artifact from the 1988 season was a merchant's coin balace that would have served to check the accuracy of gold and silver coinage.

The elite house in Area 2 included a cookpot left overturned against one wall. Here excavated by Charlotte Anderson.

Pottery in the elite house included a brown glaze ewer.

A unglazed handled bowl (left) and glazed bowl (right) come from Area 2.

Squares 1, 2, 3, and 4 were cleared of the late Ayyubid Period ruins, then deepened to reach the next set of architectural ruins. Intentional fill or soil and plaster flakes extended for 1.6 meters before new floor surfaces were encountered.


One unglazed hooded saucer oil lamp (lower lamp), an unglazed light red ware cup (decorated with combed design) and a small light red ware jar were found on the floor surface in locus 204039. These pottery artifacts and the associated coins belong to the very beginning of the Ayyubid Period or to the preceding Seljuq or Zengid Period.

Many hooded saucer lamps have been found in Area II. Most of the hooded saucer lamps found at Tuneinir are glazed. Unglazed lamps of this style have previously not been identified in either the Ayyubid or Abbasid loci at Tuneinir. It resembles the blue glazed hooded saucer lamps of the Ayyubid Period, but it is smaller and more delicately crafted.

Intact bowl with four main compartments and a central compartment. Discovered during 1989 in Square 21, locus 06. The bowl is 17 cm. in diameter and stands 6.5 cm. tall. Thickness along the rim is 1.2 cm.

The glass sherd from a painted beaker like the example found in Area 2. The design of the fish would appear to swim when the beaker was filled with wine. Ellen Belcher found the decorated glass bodysherd in Area 2 during 1996.

One of the most interesting artifacts from Area 2 is the neck of a Habb jar found in Square 9, locus 10 during the 1988 field season. Pottery reg. no. 90. The Habb jar from Tuneinir is very similar to an example form Nisibis (Turkey) which is also known as Kamishley (Syria).
Click here to see the Habb jar from Nisibis.

 Rimsherd of a turquoise blue and black glaze rimsherd from an Ayyubid Period bowl. Discsovered during 1988 field season in Square 3, Locus 40. Reg. no. 157TNR88.


Schematic plan of the late Ayyubid Period (ca. AD 1200 - 1250) houses and streets.

Squares in the east edge of Area 2.

Professor Michael Fuller points to a plaster pot rest and recess on the floor of a house in Square 13.

Sharon Doerre supervises the excavation of a vat against the outside wall of a house in Area 2.

Cylinder seal discovered 30 cm. below the surface during 1988 in Square 14, Locus 05. The cylinder seal was discovered in soil near an Ayyubid Period well that probably brought the artifact to the surface from an Iron Age locus. It measures 32 mm in height and 12 mm in diameter.

Drawing of the cylinder seal discovered in Square 14, Locus 05.

Green Glaze bowl with mend holes. Discovered during the 1988 field season in Square 13, Locus 15. Reg. no. 161 TNR.

Greenglaze bowl found during 1989 in square 13, locus 16. The bowl is 34 cm. in diameter and 10.2 cm. tall.

Base of a Raqqa lusterware bowl found during 1988 in Square 3, Lous 40. Reg. no. 157TNR88.

Unusual ring vase found during 1988 in Square 13, Locus 18. Reg. no. 154TNR88.

In situ photograph of a 13th century cookpot on a house floor, Square 20, Locus 11.

Cookpot handle with Arabic stamp on the handle. Discovered in Square 7, Locus 9.

Drawing of a glass kohl container and glass applicator stick discovered in square 7, locus 15.

Glass kohl tube with applicator from Square 7, locus 15.

Boar's tusk from Square 07, locus 11.

Light Green Ware spouted juglet from square 13, locus 29.

Ayyubid coin of Al Ashraf Musa minted in Mayafaraqin (Turkey) from square 29, locus 01.

Layout of excavation squares in Area 1. Longitude and latitude values derived from a handheld GPS device.
Click here to view 10 Islamic Period sherds from Area 2

Click here to view 10 more Islamic Period sherds from Area 2

Click here to view 10 more Islamic Period sherds from Area 2


Photographs by Professor Michael Aehle and David Hanlon
St. Louis Community College
Webpage created on 29 February 2004
Webpage updated on 25 December 2008


Webpage migrated 2 April 2008

Updated 31 August 2008