Publications

Books

McMahon, A. & Crawford, H. (eds.) (In press for 2013). Preludes to Urbanism: Studies in the Late Chalcolithic of Mesopotamia in Honour of Joan Oates. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.

Hald, M.M. (2008). A Thousand Years of Farming: Late Chalcolithic Agricultural Practices at Tell Brak in Northern Mesopotamia. BAR International Series 1880. Archaeopress, Oxford.

Matthews, R. (ed.) (2004). The Excavations at Tell Brak 4: Exploring an Upper Mesopotamian regional centre, 1994-96. Mcdonald Institute Monographs.

Oates, D., Oates, J. & McDonald, H. (2001). The Excavations at Tell Brak 2: Nagar in the Third Millennium BC. Mcdonald Institute Monographs.

Oates, D., Oates, J. & McDonald, H. (1997). The Excavations at Tell Brak 1: The Mitanni and Old Babylonian Periods. McDonald Institute Monographs.

Matthews, D. (1997). The Early Glyptic of Tell Brak. Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis Series Archaeologica 15. Fribourg.

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

General Excavation and Survey

McMahon, A. (2013). Tell Brak, Early Northern Mesopotamian Urbanism, Economic Complexity and Social Stress, fifth-fourth millennia BC. In D. Bonatz & L. Martin (Eds.) 100 Jahre Archäeologische Feldforschungen in Nordost-Syrien – Eine Bilanz (pp. 67-80). Weisbaden: Harrassowitz. 

McMahon, A. (2012). Syria: Tell Brak. Current World Archaeology 52: 28-34.

McMahon, A (2012). Early Urbanism, Violence and Artistic Explosion at Tell Brak, North-East Syria. Arts and Cultures 2012: 42-55. Barbier-Mueller Museums: Geneva.

McMahon, A., Sołtysiak, A. & Weber, J. (2011). Cities and Conflict: Late Chalcolithic Mass Graves at Tell Brak, Syria (3800-3600 B.C.). Journal of Field Archaeology 36(3): 201-220.

Charles, M., Pessin, H. & Hald, M. M. (2010). Tolerating change at Late Chalcolithic Tell Brak: responses of an early urban society to an uncertain climate. Environmental Archaeology 15: 183-198.

Hald, M. & Charles, M. (2008). Storage of crops during the fourth and third millennia B.C. at the settlement mound of Tell Brak, northeast Syria. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 17: 35-41.

Oates, J., McMahon, A., Karsgaard, P., al-Quntar, S. & Ur, J. (2007). Early Mesopotamian Urbanism: a view from the north. Antiquity 81(313): 585-600.

Ur, J., Karsgaard, P. & Oates, J. (2007). Early Urban Development in the Near East. Science 317(5842): 1188.

Oates, J. (2005). Digging Deeper at Tell Brak. Proceedings of the British Academy 131: 1-39. Read online HERE.

Ur, J. (2003). CORONA Satellite Photography and Ancient Road Networks: A Northern Mesopotamian Case Study. Antiquity 77: 102-115.

French, C. (2003). The environs of Tell Brak, northeastern Syria. In C. French, Geoarchaeology in action: studies in soil micromorphology and landscape evolution (pp. 235-239). London: Routledge. 

Emberling, G. & McDonald, H. (2002). Recent finds from the northern Mesopotamian city of Tell Brak. Antiquity 76(294): 949-950.

Pittman, H. (2002). Bears at Brak. In L. Al-Gailani Werr, J. Curtis, H. Martin, A. McMahon, J. Oates, & J. Reade (Eds.), Of Pots and Plans, Papers on the Archaeology and History of Mesopotamia and Syria (David Oates FS) (pp. 287-96).

Oates, J. (2002). Tell Brak: the 4th millennium sequence and its implications. In J. N. Postgate (ed.), Artefacts of Complexity, BSAI.

Matthews, R. (2000). Fourth and third millennia chronologies: the view from Tell Brak, north-east Syria. In C. Marro and H. Hauptmann (Eds.), Chronologies des Pays du Caucase et de l'Euphrate aux IVe-IIIe Millenaires (pp. 65-72). Paris: De Boccard.

Matthews, R. (1999). Tell Brak in the Ninevite 5 period. In K. Van Lerberghe and G. Voet (Eds.), Languages and Cultures in Contact. At the Crossroads of Civilizations in the Syro-Mesopotamian Realm (pp. 289-303). Leuven: Peeters.

Oates, J. & Oates, D. (1997). An Open Gate: Cities of the Fourth Millennium BC (Tell Brak 1997). Cambridge Archaeological Journal 7/2: 287-297.

Eidem, J. & Warburton, D. 
(1996). In the Land of Nagar: A Survey Around Tell Brak. Iraq 58: 51-64.

Oates, J. (1995). Further Note on Administration at Tell Brak in the Akkadian Period. In U. Finkbeiner et al. (Eds.), Beiträge zur Kulturgeschichte Vorderasiens (Boehmer FS) (pp. 491-506). Zabern.

Oates, D. & Oates, J. (1994). Tell Brak: a stratigraphic summary (1976-1993). Iraq 56: 167-176.

Oates, J. (1993). An Akkadian Administrative Device from Tell Brak. In M. Frangipane et al. (Eds.), Between the Rivers and Over the Mountains, Alba Palmieri Dedicata (pp. 189-205).

Clutton-Brock, J. & Davies, S. (1993). More donkeys from Tell Brak. Iraq 55: 209-221.

Matthews, D. & Eidem, J. (1993). Tell Brak and Nagar. Iraq 55: 200-208.

Oates, J. (1993). Trade and Power in the 5th and 4th Millennia BC: new evidence from Northern Mesopotamia. World Archaeology 24: 403-22.

Material Culture Studies

McMahon, A. (2009). The Lion, the King and the Cage: Late Chalcolithic Iconography and Ideology in Northern Mesopotamia. Iraq 71: 115-124.

Khalidi, L., Gratuze, B., & Boucetta, S. (2009). Provenance of obsidian excavated from Late Chalcolithic levels at the sites of Tell Hamoukar and Tell Brak, Syria. Archaeometry 51(6): 879-893.

Oates, J. (2002). The Reattribution of Middle Uruk Materials at Brak. In Ehrenberg, E. (ed) Leaving No Stones Unturned (D.P. Hansen FS) (pp. 145-154). Winona Lake, IN.

Wright, H. T. (2002). Arrows and Arrowheads in the Uruk World. In L. Al-Gailani Werr, J. Curtis, H. Martin, A. McMahon, J. Oates, and J. Reade (Eds.), Of Pots and Plans, Papers on the Archaeology and History of Mesopotamia and Syria (David Oates FS) (pp. 373-378).

Matthews, R.J. (1994). Imperial Catastrophe or Local Incident? An Akkadian Hoard from Tell Brak, Syria. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 4/2: 290-302.

Oates, D. & Oates, J. (1991). A Human-headed Bull Statue from Tell Brak. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 1/1: 131-135.

Oates, J. (1987). A Note on 'Ubaid and Mitanni Pottery from Tell Brak. Iraq 49: 193-198.

Jasim, S. A. & Oates, J. (1986). Early Tokens and Tablets in Mesopotamia: new information from Tell Abada and Tell Brak. World Archaeology 17: 348-362.

Oates, J. (1985). Tell Brak: Uruk pottery from the 1984 season. Iraq 47: 175-187.

Oates, J. (1982). Some Late Early Dynastic III pottery from Tell Brak. Iraq 44: 205-220.

Fielden, K. (1981). A Late Uruk pottery group from Tell Brak, 1978. Iraq 43: 157-166.

Fielden, K. (1977). Tell Brak, 1976: the pottery. Iraq 39: 245-256.

Texts

Archi, A. (1998). The Regional State of Nagar according to the Texts of Ebla. Subartu IV/2: 1-15.

Biga, M. G. (1998). The Marriage of Eblaite Princess Tagriš-Damu with a Son of Nagar’s King. Subartu IV/2: 17-22.

Sallaberger, W. (1996). Nagar in den frühdynastischen texten aus Beydar. in Van Lerberghe, K. and Voet, G. (eds), At the Crossroads of Civilizations in the Syro-Mesopotamian Realm, Proc. of the 42nd RAI (Leuven).

Matthews, D. (1991). Tell Brak 1990: The Glyptic. Iraq 53: 147-158.

Wilhelm, G. (1991). A Hurrian Letter from Tell Brak. Iraq 53: 159-168.

Illingworth, N. J. J. (1988). Inscriptions from Tell Brak 1986. Iraq 50: 87-108.

Finkel, I. L. (1988). Inscriptions from Tell Brak 1985. Iraq 50: 83-86.

Finkel, I. L. (1985). Inscriptions from Tell Brak 1984. Iraq 47: 187-202.

Excavation Reports

McMahon, A., Oates, J., al-Quntar, S., Charles, M.,  Colantoni, C., Hald, M. M., Karsgaard, P., Khalidi, L., Soltysiak,  A., Stone, A. & Weber, J. (2007). Excavations at Tell Brak 2006-2007. Iraq 69: 145-171.

Emberling, G. & McDonald, H. (2003). Excavations at Tell Brak 2001-2002: Preliminary report. Iraq 65: 1-76.

Emberling, G., Cheng, J., Larsen, T. E., Pittman, H., Skuldboel, T. B. B., Weber, J. & Wright, H. T. (1999). Excavations at Tell Brak 1998: Preliminary report. Iraq 61: 1-42.

Matthews, R. J. (1996). Excavations at Tell Brak, 1996. Iraq 58: 65-78.

Matthews, R. J. (1995). Excavations at Tell Brak, 1995. Iraq 57: 87-112.

Matthews, R. J., Matthews, W. & McDonald, H. (1994). Excavations at Tell Brak, 1994. Iraq 56: 177-194.

Oates, D. & Oates, J. (1993). Excavations at Tell Brak 1992-93. Iraq 55: 155-200.

Oates, D. & Oates, J. (1991). Excavations at Tell Brak 1990-91. Iraq 53: 127-146.

Oates, D. (1987). Excavations at Tell Brak 1985-86. Iraq 49: 175-192.

Oates, D. (1985). Excavations at Tell Brak, 1983-84. Iraq 47: 159-174.

Oates, D. (1982). Excavations at Tell Brak. Iraq 44: 187-204.

Oates, D. (1977). The excavations at Tell Brak, 1976. Iraq 39: 233-244.

Mallowan, M. E. L. (1947). Excavations at Brak and Chagar Bazar. Iraq 9.

Press Reports and Varia

Brak's early urbanism and mass burials are two of the Top Discoveries of 2007, according to Archaeology Magazine online, January/February 2008.

Owen, J. (2007). Syria mass graves suggest ancient urban conflict Feature in National Geographic News online, 7 September 2007.

Lawler, A. (2007). Murder in Mesopotamia? Science 317 (5841): 1164-1165

Burial clue to early urban strife. BBC Science News, 30 August 2007.

Lawler, A. (2006). North Versus South, Mesopotamian Style. Science 312(5779): 1458-1463

Online Project Archive

Matthews, R., Postgate, J. N., et al., (2001). Contextual analysis of the use of space at two Near Eastern Bronze Age sites. (hosted by the Archaeological Data Service in York).

In Preparation

Oates, J. The Excavations at Tell Brak 3: The Uruk and 'Ubaid Periods.

Oates, J., Wright, H., et al. Tell Brak Vol. 5. The Tell Brak Sustaining Area Survey.