The Karkemish archaeological landscape between Late Bronze II and Iron II periods

The site of Karkemish, positioned on a terrace on the western bank of the Euphrates River, represented for two millennia the main urban center for an extensive hinterland in terms of political, administrative and economic organization. Geoarchaeological research has identified evidence of recurring events of deposition and erosion, indicating that the floodplain level gradually rose over time, resulting in most Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age settlements being buried by later alluvial sediment, while the limestone terraces and water-carved valleys stretching behind the riverbank feature a high concentration of Bronze and Iron Age sites.