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Ancient Syria /
Nagar
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Eye-idols of Nagar, Syria. Middle 4th millennium BCE.
Aerial photo of the mound of Nagar.
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In Ancient Syria, city thriving mainly between around 3200 BCE and into the 22nd century BCE, a second time as part of Mitanni, mainly 15th century BCE.
Nagar was strategically located to control trade between the fertile lands of Syria and Mesopotamia, narrowed by the Anatolian mountains to the north and the Jazirah desert to the south, this being an early stretch of the later Silk Road.
The earliest traces of habitation here goes back to around 6000 BCE.
Among the main discoveries at Nagar is the 4th millennium BCE Eye Temple, with many eye idols made from alabaster. These idols were placed in the mortar between the bricks of the temple walls.
In the 22nd century BCE, Akkadian king, Naram-Sin, built a royal residence here.
From the 2nd millennium BCE, Nagar is reduced to a small settlement.
From around 1500 BCE, a new era comes with Mitanni, whose kings had a temple built here.
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