Archaeologists Unearth a War Zone 5,500 Years Old

NY Times ^ | December 16, 2005 | JOHN NOBLE WILFORD

[Pharmboy]

University of Chicago
Architectural remains in Syria from the fourth millennium B.C. Those at lower left were excavated in 2001,
and those at top center this year. The location is said to be the oldest known excavated site of a large battle.

In the ruins of an ancient city in northeastern Syria, archaeologists have uncovered what they say is substantial evidence of a fierce battle fought there in about 3500 B.C.

The archaeologists, who announced the find yesterday, described it as the oldest known excavated site of large-scale organized warfare. It was a clash of northern and southern cultures in ancient Mesopotamia, the land where urban civilization began, in a region that includes Iraq and parts of Syria.

snip... The ruins are in the upper fringes of the Tigris and Euphrates Valleys, near the Iraq border and within sight of the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey.

"The whole area of our most recent excavation was a war zone," Dr. Reichel said in the announcement, made jointly by the University of Chicago and the Department of Antiquities in Syria.

snip...

It was previously thought that the culture had spread north through colonization, trade or conquest.

The new research revealed that relations between north and south were not without major conflict.

The archaeologists reported finding collapsed mud-brick walls that had undergone heavy bombardment and ensuing fire. All around, they collected more than 1,200 oval-shaped "bullets" used with slings and some 120 larger round clay balls. The layer of ruins from that time also held vast amounts of pottery from the Uruk culture of southern Mesopotamia.

"The picture is compelling," Dr. Reichel said. "If the Uruk people weren't the ones firing the sling bullets, they certainly benefited from it. They took over this place right after its destruction."

[SunkenCiv]

A military history ping list? Aha, maybe this is one!

To: sphinx; Toirdhealbheach Beucail; curmudgeonII; roderick; Notforprophet; river rat; csvset; ...

Battle of Salamis ping.

If you want on or off the Western Civilization Military History ping list, let me know.

17 posted on 09/21/2003 7:57:04 AM PDT by Sparta (My tagline has been listed more times than Wesley Clark's flip-flops)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/986338/posts?page=17#17

Oh, wait, here's what I was thinking of...

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues
the Freeper Foxhole
snippy_about_it; SAMWolf

[brazzaville]

Good morning.
"Alexander was looking for the source of cotton, steel, and black pepper (India). Hitler was in the Caucasus mainly for the oil."

I have to disagree, especially with the three named conquerers.

I believe Alexander conquered for the pleasure it brought him and the way it fed his ego.

Napoleon also played the game for his own purposes, not just to expand the economic base of France.

For Hitler, resources were necessary for his goal of world domination and the elimination of those he wanted dead, but conquest and war were spiritual in his sick mind.

Alexander got sick and died, Napoleon was defeated and died in captivity, Hitler tried to blow up the world and wound up eating his own gun. All of this was for more than treasure and resources.

Michael Frazier

[SunkenCiv]

Aw, I know you're just ribbin' me.

[rimshot!]

[BJClinton]

Heh, that tickled my funny bone.

[indcons]

Thanks again, Sunken Civ. You are a great resource.

FReepers Sparta; snippy_about_it; SAMWolf: you have a U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues ping list.

Just FYI - we have just started a "MilHist" ping list with a focus on historical **global** military history. However, we will in no way duplicate the excellent work that you folks are doing re: Current Events and Veterans Issues (in the FReeper Foxhole).

This is a courtesy FYI ping. If you have any suggestions or know of anybody who wants to join this broad ping list, please FReepmail me. Thanks.

[He'sComingBack!]

Small battlefield....about the size of my house.

Looking forward to further excavation to see the big picture.

[SunkenCiv]

I was impressed that the skeleton people had built such a nice lookin' joint to live in.

[beyond the sea]

It's all BS!

[brazzaville]

Good morning.
"those would be viking raids, not war."

The European nations marched into war in 1914 for more than the resources of the third world colonies. They, leaders and cannon fodder, fought for more abstract reasons and the harm they did led us to Communism and Nazism, WWII and the Cold War.

Your FReep namesake was a great tactician who fought for his own reasons.

William the Conqueror was a greedy man but he took England because he wanted to. Attila is an example of the type that war because they want to.

Michael Frazier

[Marxbites]

Looks like they never met Pythagoras !!!!

[patton]

"took england because he wanted to"

This isn't about resources? Looks like it to me.

[indcons]

First ping for the new "MilHist" ping list. Welcome to all members.

If you are interested in joining this global "MilHist" ping list, please contact FReeper indcons.

Please see http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1541802/posts for more info.

[rattrap]

Plato

[patton]

BTW, my great-something-or-other-grandfather died defending england from William.

The POS then declared his title vacant, and ordered granny out of the house.

She raised a flag differntiated from gramps, raised the drawbridge, and said, "Molan Labe."

LOL. world's first feminist.

[rattrap]

Though I've always seen it as "Only the dead have seen the end of war." but it's translated to english anyway so I'm sure both ways fit.

[rochester_veteran]

Hitler had all kinds of justifications for going to war, but all the same he did it because Satan was whispering in his ear.

Ditto Tojo, Mao, Ho, Pol, Castro, etc.

I believe this to be true, and yes there were others not mentioned here that provided their sacrifices to satan.

The Crusades were the first wars on terrorism. Included in the lands reduced under mooselimb tyranny were vast areas that had been Christian for hundreds of years. Christian pilgrims seeking to visit holy sites were murdered, raped, and enslaved (just like today).

I hadn't thought about it the way you stated, that the Crusades were the first wars on terrorism. It's true and many more have followed. Every so often since the 700's, the Muslims ramp things up in another attempt to impose the "peace of Islam" on the entire world.

"Fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them and seize them, confine them, and lie in wait for them in every place of ambush" (Surah 9:5)

We (westerners, Jews and Christians) are the "pagans" mentioned above.

[Always Independent]

Nancy and Hillary and Pinky Reid are complaining that they mismanaged it!

[indcons]

"We (westerners, Jews and Christians) are the "pagans" mentioned above."

True but the "pagan list" includes ALL non-muslims. In fact, the Hindus in present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India were the ones who faced the worst Islamic invasions between 1100 and 1750 AD.

[brazzaville]

Good morning.
"BTW, my great-something-or-other-grandfather died defending england from William."

One of my ancestors arrived in Britain with William.

Huzzahs to granny. I hope my ancestor didn't put her place under siege on his way to Scotland.

Merry Christmas

Michael Frazier

[patton]

DIE, you pagan filth!

LOL. olde grudge, what?

She was the Baroness of Ashby de la Zouche.