Explore the history of an ancient city

Hear Jason Ur discuss Tell Brak as it was then and is today...

Assistant professor of Anthropology and archaeologist Jason Ur talks about the ancient city of Tell Brak in northeastern Syria. He explains how thousands of years of mud architecture can create a mountain, what trash tells us about where people lived, and how even the ugliest pottery can be lovely to the archaeologist. The May-June issue reports on Jason Ur's work in "Outside-In Ur-banism."

Interact with an embedded Google map below. The Jaghjagh river, a tributary of the Euphrates, flows from right to left along the bottom of the map. Tell Brak is located in the upper left-hand corner next to the navigation arrows. Double-click on the mound to zoom in on Tell Brak.

View Interactive  Map

Related topics

You might also like

How AI Is Reshaping Supply Chains

Harvard Kennedy School lecturer on using AI to strengthen supply chains

This Astronomer is Sounding a Warning on ‘Space Junk’

As debris accumulates in low Earth orbit, the danger of destructive collisions continues to rise.

Understanding AI Vulnerabilities

As artificial intelligence capabilities evolve, so too will the tactics used to exploit them. 

Most popular

College staff whose jobs will be changed or eliminated were notified this week.

In her memoir All That's Unseen, Emilee Hackney explores religion, friendship, and home.

The organization said its amicus brief had not been reviewed internally.

Explore More From Current Issue

Two figures stand before a large, colorful pixelated face against a yellow background.

Harvard scientists identify hundreds of genes under selective pressure.

Harvey Mansfield seated in a bright yellow chair, surrounded by bookshelves and cozy decor.

The retired government professor has been a rare conservative voice on campus for decades.

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.