Where We Work ::: Iraq Heritage Program

HATRA SITE DESCRIPTION

Site Location

Hatra is a fortified city located in Upper Mesopotamia, approximately 80 km (50 mi) southwest of Mosul and 55 km (34 mi ) west of Ashur. Originally within the boundaries of the former Iranian province of Kharvaran, it is now part of the country of Iraq. It is situated in the steppe between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers (the northern Jazira), and about 3 km west of the Wadi Thartar.

Site History
Hatra was probably used as a seasonal camping ground for semi-nomadic groups in the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. By the 1st century BCE, Hatra became a permanent settlement, and the center of a local dynasty along the Parthian-Roman border, subordinate to the larger Parthian Empire centered at Ctesiphon. The growth of the city peaked in the 2nd century C.E. In this period, Hatra was attacked by two Roman campaigns, one in 117 C.E. and the other in the 190s C.E, but it was protected by its position and strong fortification. The prosperity of the city decreased once the Sassanian Dynasty became established with a Roman-Sassanian struggle for power along the border region. In the early 3rd century, Roman troops were stationed at Hatra. In 240-41 Hatra was conquered by the Sassanians, which led to the permanent abandonment of the settlement. The site was unoccupied by 363 when Ammianus Marcellinus, a participant of Roman campaign, documented it as an “old city situated in an uninhabited area and deserted for a long time past”

Site Importance
Hatra was an important location on the Parthian-Roman border zone along a major caravan route linking Seleuci-Ctesiphon with Singara and Nisibis. It also was directly linked to the Roman network of roads, and used as a halting place during times of war. The site’s religious prestige is also evident by its monumental temple complex.

Excavations
The ruins of Hatra, also called by the modern name of Hazr, were recorded by 19th century western travelers starting with J. Ross in 1836 and 1837. The site was first measured and surveyed by a German excavation team led by Walter Andrae from 1906-1911. Systematic excavations were only started in 1951 by Iraqi archaeologists. They have uncovered many of the larger monuments, including the temenos area, around one dozen minor shrines, the northern town gate, and a number of tombs.

Excavation Reports

Andrae, Walter. Hatra nach Aufnahmen von Mitgliedern der Assur Expedition der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft, 2 vols., Leipzig, 1908-12.
Al-Salihi, Wathiq I. Hatra: Excavations in a group of tombs; 1970-1971 preliminary report. Sumer, 1972, vol. 28, Arabic Section, p. 19-30. English section, pp. 12-20
Fo`âd Safar and Mohammad-'Ali MosÂtÂafâ, al-Hadr, madînat al-šams/Hatra, the City of the Sun God, Baghdad, 1974.
Al-Salihi, Wathiq I. "The Excavation of Shrine XIII at Hatra" (1990) Mesopotamia, 1990, vol. 25, p. 27-35.

Interpretation of Image
The site of Hatra radiates outward from the large rectangular ‘temenos’, or temple platform, located at the center of the city. The enclosed temenos area was subdivided by a partition into a large outer court to the east and a small enclosure to the west. The western area contained the Temple of the sun god Shamash and other administrative buildings. Most of the buildings inside the temenos contain iwans, which are large halls open to the front with high barrel vaulted roofing. Many architectural elements are constructed of rubble-and mortar cores with a dressed-stone facing and datable by inscriptions to the late 1st century CE. Temples are located in the general city area as well, along with domestic architecture. Most of the areas outside the temenos have not been excavated. Around the central city, Hatra is bordered by two concentric fortification walls. The inside wall is made of clay bricks and has four main gates

The site of Hatra has some modern encroachment between the two fortification walls, especially with agriculture and modern architecture to the south-east. The central city of Hatra has little encroachment, but some areas show possible damage due to illegal excavations. Also, to the east of the temenos an area runs north to south suggests damage due to water run-off through the site.

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