FROM THE TIGRIS TO THE BANKS OF THE EUPHRATES: POST-FLOODING ASSESSMENT AT THE TISHREEN DAM RESERVOIR , NORTH SYRIA

Abstract

The paper presents the application of a reproducible tool, already tested by the authors on Lake Mosul, for the post-flooding assessment of the heritage sites impacted by the construction of dam reservoirs. This study examines the Tishreen Dam Reservoir (Syria) on the Middle Euphrates as a case study. The dam’s construction lasted from 1991 to 1999, resulting in a 60 km long artificial lake. Salvage surveys and excavations were carried out during the construction period, shedding light on the richness of the region’s cultural heritage. This area has gained attention in recent years due to an unprecedented drought that revealed several archaeological sites and villages that were believed to be lost for good. Based on the results of a new set of cost-efficient tools for observing the ‘emersion patterns’ of archaeological sites, we present an overview of the dam construction impact and an assessment of damage timescales and extent at the various sites involved.