Explore the history of an ancient city

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

You might also like

More Housing in Allston

Toward another apartment complex on Harvard-owned land

General Counsel Diane Lopez to Retire

Stepping down after 30 years of University service

Navigating Changing Careers

Harvard researchers seek to empower individuals to steer their own careers.

Most popular

Gymsuits, Pre-Spandex

Lest young ladies’ “tides” be deranged

President Bacow’s First-Day Message

A community letter as the new administration begins

Events

Winter events

More to explore

Illustration of a box containing a laid-off fossil fuel worker's office belongings

Preparing for the Energy Transition

Expect massive job losses in industries associated with fossil fuels. The time to get ready is now.

Apollonia Poilâne standing in front of rows of fresh-baked loaves at her family's flagship bakery

Her Bread and Butter

A third-generation French baker on legacy loaves and the "magic" of baking

Illustration that plays on the grade A+ and the term Ai

AI in the Academy

Generative AI can enhance teaching and learning but augurs a shift to oral forms of student assessment.