“Zincirli is a remarkable site,” said Gil Stein, Director of the Oriental Institute. “Because no other cities were built on top of it, we have excellent Iron Age materials right under the surface. It is rare also in having written evidence together with artistic and archaeological evidence from the Iron Age. Having all of that information helps an archaeologist study the ethnicity of the inhabitants, trade and migration, as well as the relationships of the groups who lived there.”
Zincirli.LINK. Zincirli (Sam'al) Sam'al was the capital of the Late Hittite kingdom of the area from about 10th centurty to 7th century BCE. It was first excavated by German Oriental Society between 1888 and 1902. They found a heavily fortified citadel within a larger double walled fortification with 100 bastions and three gates. Excavations revealed giant statues of lions, numerous orthostats and inscriptions in Aramaic, Phoenician, Luwian, and Akkadian. Most of the finds are in Istanbul Archeology Museum and Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin.
Kings of Sam'al Gabbar, contemporary of Salmanassar III (858-824) Bamah, son of Gabbar Chajan, son of Bamah (before 830) Kilamuwa, son of Chajan around 830 Panammuwa I. Qaral Panammuwa II, son of Qaral (around 750) Barrakib Usurpator, till 738 Panammû II († 732) Son Pammuhûs, 732-?
Barrakib and the Scribe Sam'al King Barrakib is sitting on the throne, before him stands the scribe with a writing board under his arm. The Aramaic inscription next to king head reads: "I am Barrakib, son of Panammuwa." The inscription by the moon-disk reads: "My Lord, Ba'al of Harran". The basalt stele dates from about 730 BC. Das Vorderasiatische Museum, Berlin.