|
Appearance and Location
 Tells
come in a variety of shapes and sizes so they may not be as easy
to recognize as you think. At first glance, a tell looks like
small hill with a flat top and steep sides. Tells usually look
“natural” in their location because they are usually build upon
a pre-existing knoll or small hill. The sides of the tell tend
to be unnaturally steep such that they can be difficult for a
person to climb. Often, inhabitants built a city wall around the
top edge of the tell for protection from enemies. Fortunate for
archaeologists, the remains of this wall holds soil in place and
slows the natural erosion process. Also, the ancient peoples
sometimes built a glacis on the side of the tell. A glacis
helped to prevent an invading army from digging under the city
walls. Furthermore, a glacis stops erosion and allows for
steeper sides.
Sites for human occupation (tell sites) were
not arbitrarily chosen. Usually, tells are located near fertile
fields suitable for farming, near a water source, perhaps near a
trade route or ancient highway, and offer some security either
through their height allowing for a commanding view or through
their strategic location or both. Because these elements are
timeless and basic to urban culture, sites (and tells) attracted
settlers, and therefore, reuse of sites became common.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
