Tell Halaf relief of running dogs

myminifactory

Situated atop the headwaters of the river Habur in northeastern Syria, Tell Halaf yielded its secrets between 1911 and 1921 under the direction of German expedition leader Baron Max von Oppenheim. Extensive areas of the early Iron Age city (circa 1200-900 B.C.) were unearthed. Ruled by an Aramaean family, the city known as Guzana (Old Testament reference Gozan) reached its peak of prosperity around the middle of the tenth century B.C. under King Kapara's reign. The base of the south wall of Kapara's palace was lined with 187 reliefs carved in black basalt alternating with red-ochre tinted limestone. Tell Halaf continued to be occupied in later periods, but it ceased to be a major city following the downfall of Kapara's dynasty.