Qermez Dere

Qermez Dere is an early Neolithic settlement in the northwestern edges of Tal Afar in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq. This archaeological site was discovered in the 1980s during a rescue operation. It covers an area of about 100 m x 60 m and forms a 2 m tall tell. The buildings were made of primitive Mudbricks, which is not a perennial material, and are mostly destroyed, however archaeologists have excavated a one-room structure in good shape. The room's corners are rounded, showing the care that went into its construction. Also vestiges of non-structural clay columns have been found, suggesting primitive instances of furniture.

Radiocarbon dating has estimated that Qermez Dere was built between c. 8500 BC and 7900 BC.