ARCHAEOLOGISTS RUSH TO EXCAVATE AND PRESERVE ASSYRIAN CITY BEFORE THE SITE IS FLOODED

Archaeologists in southeast Turkey are working diligently to excavate and preserve as much as they can of Tushan, an Assyrian city, before a hydroelectric dam floods the area. Tim Matney, who is leading a team of German, Turkish, and British archaeologists, are scheduled to return to Tushan in early April to continue their work. "This is a pragmatic, conservationist rescue dig," said Matney, who also noted that he now has a “slightly less cumbersome system to work with” in regards to the Turkish bureaucracy.

Matney’s team has uncovered a large mud brick building, several cuneiform tablets in the palace, and countless fragments of pottery, vessels, and animal bones. The construction of the dam has been delayed until 2013, but there is still much work to be done. Nothing remains above ground at the site. It is unclear how much of the area will be flooded, but Matney remains confident that the work will be done regardless.

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