Carved stone viewpoint for following astronomy in Choman (Draw district, Mami Khalan village)

نقطة مراقبة حجرية منحوتة لمتابعة علم الفلك في جومان (منطقة دراو، قرية مامي خلان)

Abstract

The village of Mami Khalan is located in the choman District, within the independent administration of Soran, in Erbil Governorate, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It was classified as a new archaeological site in 2020 by the Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage in Soran, during the implementation of a road construction project in the area. The discovery of pottery dating back to the first millennium BCE, characterized by features of Urartian art, shed light on the historical significance of this region, which lies on the western border of the Urartian Empire. This paper examines the functional role of cup-shaped depressions (cupules) and their cultural significance to the ancient inhabitants of the Zagros region. The researcher conducted a field survey of 15 archaeological sites, including castles, settlements, cemeteries, wells, rock formations bearing rock art, as well as remains of cupules, vessels, and cookware.