Topography of Tel Al-Nasr and its Archaeological Importance Using Geographic Information Systems

Abstract

The main bed rock units of studied area comprises: Sandstone, siltstone claystone, Limestone, dolostone, dolomitic limestone and marl. While the main topographic features are: hill, plateau, valleys and depression. The isolated hill named; Tel Al-Nasr elevated more than 25 meters over surrounded areas. The main important plateau is Mulussa, which composed of Limestone and dolostone, overlined by Tel Al-Nasr Archaeological Site. Wide Mulussa plateaus dissected by large and deep valleys such as Wadi Hauran, Wadi Ajrumiyat, Wadi Dwekhla, Sahib Al-Agarri, Wadi Njeli, and Wadi Mulussa. The main and important depression in the area is the Ga′ara Depression, about 70 km long and 35 km wide, which far about 10 km from Tel Al- Nasr. This hill got its archaeological importance due to its elevation on a wide plateau, its location between many archaeological sites and on the trade road between Euphrates River and Arabian Peninsula as well as inhabited by ancient human for different time periods. A Visibility analysis was performed with ERDAS Imagine Ver. 9.2, using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) produced from SRTM. Frequently archaeologists are concerned with whether one site is visible from another site