1As in previous years, also the 12th season of excavations at Tell Masaikh and 27th trip to Tell Ashara (September/November 2007) were abundant in the discoveries of human skeletons. Bones were described and measured in a dig house, according to the procedure described in the previous reports (Sołtysiak 2003, Tomczyk and Sołtysiak 2007). In total, the remains of 66 individuals were found at Tell Masaikh (table 1) and five at Tell Ashara (table 2).

2The samples from Tell Masaikh were dated to the Neo-Assyrian, Roman, and Islamic periods, while all the bones from Tell Ashara were found in the Early Bronze Age strata. In both sites, the skeletons were in an average state of preservation. Analogically to what was discovered before (Sołtysiak 2002), evident difference with regard to sex ratio was observed, with 11 females and 27 males in Tell Masaikh. Since such a trend was observed both in preserved innominate bones and skulls, it is likely that there was a real surplus of males, at least in the Islamic cemetery, and that the difference does not result from any inappropriate diagnostic methods. The stature of the individuals from Tell Masaikh (Table 3) fits the range observed in previous years: males around 170 cm and females around 160 cm (Tomczyk and Sołtysiak 2007).

3The most interesting skeletons found at Tell Masaikh in 2007 were labelled MK 12 G 85 and MK 12 G 123. The first individual was initially buried on the right side but after body decay the skeleton must have been shifted onto its back. There was a clear post-depositional disturbance of the grave: the skull, right arm and left femur were missing. Since the left acetabulum was complete and filled with earth, the bone was must have been removed after the soft tissues had been completely decayed. Foot bones were found under the knee (fig. 1). On the trunk, close to the 10th rib, a bronze spearhead was found. There was also a bone spur on the distal linea aspera in the right femur.

4The individual MK 12 G 123 was a mature male, buried on his left side, but after the decay of the soft tissues the skull was turned face down. The lower part of the skeleton was incomplete, but great robustness of the individual was evident. The face has been well preserved, with a low orbita and a very broad nose. It may have been the second case of a Negroid individual found at Tell Masaikh (Sołtysiak 2003) [fig. 2].

5The most interesting individual found at Tell Ashara was the male TQ 27 F 167, who had been buried in a squatting position together with some luxurious grave goods, including a golden knee-pad and a bronze fibula. Two foot segments of juvenile individuals were also found in the same grave among some jars (fig. 3).