>>24097297
I know this is a sideline.
but look what they found in Syria
seventy years ago, and never followed up on.
MARI excavation history
Mari (modern Tell Hariri, Syria) excavations began in 1933 under French archaeologist Andrรฉ Parrot after a chance discovery of a statue led to identification of the site as ancient Mari.Parrot directed 21 campaigns from 1933 to 1974 (interrupted by World War II; resumed post-war and into the 1950sโ1970s).Key early finds: Ishtar temple (1933โ1934, confirming site identity), massive Royal Palace of Zimri-Lim (excavation started 1935), over 20,000 cuneiform tablets (1930s), statues, murals, and pre-Sargonic structures (including earlier palaces and treasures unearthed in 1960s).Jean-Claude Margueron succeeded Parrot in 1979, focusing on urban planning, early city phases (founded c. 2900 BCE), geomagnetic surveys, residential areas, city walls, and additional palace sectors.Pascal Butterlin took over in 2005, emphasizing monumental center (e.g., Massif Rouge), palace environs, and eastern city until fieldwork halted around 2010โ2011 due to the Syrian conflict.Since 2011, the site has suffered damage and looting; ongoing work involves publishing prior finds, archive analysis, and remote monitoring of destruction.Excavations remain suspended as of 2026; only about 8% of the site has been explored.