Definition: The settlement of Tell el-'Oueili is an Ubaid (and pre-Ubaid) site of the Mesopotamian civilization. The site is located near the modern (and ancient) city of Larsa, in Iraq, and includes evidence of early permanent residential architecture (sixth to fourth millennium BC).
The earliest house in Oueili discovered to date--there are several subsequent houses--is dated about 5000 BC; it has been designated as belonging to the Ubaid 0 period, as it is earlier than the earliest Ubaid period of Mesopotamia, also seen at Oueili. This house is a large tripartite structure, with a mud brick foundation and a central hearth. The roof was supported by two rows of posts; the outer walls were decorated with regular facing pilasters. Two platforms were located within the house, one small and the other a large round one with a hole in the middle, presumably to hold a jar for the house's water suppply. Pottery from the earliest level (called Ubaid 0) is similar to those found at Choga Sefid in the Deh Luran plain.
The most recent excavations at Tel el-'Oueili were conducted by Jean-Louis Huot in the 1980s.
The earliest house in Oueili discovered to date--there are several subsequent houses--is dated about 5000 BC; it has been designated as belonging to the Ubaid 0 period, as it is earlier than the earliest Ubaid period of Mesopotamia, also seen at Oueili. This house is a large tripartite structure, with a mud brick foundation and a central hearth. The roof was supported by two rows of posts; the outer walls were decorated with regular facing pilasters. Two platforms were located within the house, one small and the other a large round one with a hole in the middle, presumably to hold a jar for the house's water suppply. Pottery from the earliest level (called Ubaid 0) is similar to those found at Choga Sefid in the Deh Luran plain.
Oueili Lifestyles
The people who lived at Tel el-'Oueili lived in permanent settlements of large houses, and raised cattle, sheep and goats, planted wheat and barley and made pottery. Artifacts include typical Mesopotamian materials, such as a collection of objects made of bitumen, including spindle whorls and beads. Terracotta sickles, a few glyphic stamp seals, and a few clay amulets were also found in the later occupations.The most recent excavations at Tel el-'Oueili were conducted by Jean-Louis Huot in the 1980s.
Sources
Huot, Jean-Louis. 1992. The First Farmers at Oueili. The Biblical Archaeologist 55(4):188-195.
Armstrong, James A. 1996. Mesopotamia: The rise of urban culture. In Brian Fagan (ed). 1996. The Oxford Companion to Archaeology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Also Known As: Oueili
