Insights into the settlement history of Iraqi Kurdistan from the Upper Greater Zab Archaeological Reconnaissance Project

The Upper Greater Zab Archeological Reconnaissance project is one of several field surveys undertaken in the northern part of Iraqi Kurdistan. The name UGZAR stands for the field activities of project no. 2011/03/B/HS3/01472 ‘Settlement History of Iraqi Kurdistan,’ financed by a generous grant of the National Science Centre (NCN) of the Republic of Poland, scheduled for the years 2012-14.¹ The work permit issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government covers 3058 km² of a piedmont area on both banks of the Greater Zab river, south of the mountain ranges of the Şaxi Akrě, Şaxi Birat and Şaxi Xarir (Fig. 1). The