Tell al-Rimah

Tell al-Rimah (also Tell ar-Rimah) is an archaeological settlement mound, in Nineveh Province (Iraq) roughly 50 mi west of Mosul and ancient Nineveh in the Sinjar region. It lies 15 kilometers south of the site of Tal Afar. Its ancient name in the 2nd Millennium BC is thought have been Karana though the name of Qattara has also been suggested (as well as Razama). In any case Karana and Qattara were very close together and thought to be part of a small kingdom. It has also been suggested that the site's name in the 1st Millennium BC was Zamaḫâ. It is near the circular walled similar archaeological sites of Tell Hadheil, a large Early Dynastic site with Old Babylonian and Neo-Assyrian occupation, and Tell Huweish. Tell Hamira, known earlier as Tell Abu Hamira, is 16 kilometers to the east and has also been suggested as the site of Karana. Currently, archaology leans toward Qattara as the ancient name of Tell Al-Rimah.

Archaeology
The site covers an area roughly 500 meters by 500 meters, surrounded by a polygonal city wall. The interior holds a number of low mounds and a large central mound 30 meters high and 100 meters in diameter.

The region was originally surveyed by Seton Lloyd in 1938. The site of Tell al-Rimah was excavated from 1964 to 1971 by a British School of Archaeology in Iraq team led by David Oates, joined by the Penn Museum and Theresa Howard  Carter in the first three years. A large temple and palace from the early second millennium BC were excavated, as well as a Neo-Assyrian building. Tell al-Rimah also is known for having a third millennium example of brick vaulting. It has been suggested that the city-goddess of Karana was Geshtinanna in Old Babylonian times.

Although on a small portion of the palace was excavated due to it depth, number of Old Babylonian tablets contemporary with Zimri-Lim of Mari and 40 tablets from the time of Shalmaneser I were found as well as other objects. Most of the Older texts were from the time of Karana ruler Aqba-aḫum with a few dating to the tile of earlier ruler Hatnu-rapi. The tablets are mostly administrative documents involving loans of grain or tin. The tablets also showed a thriving wine industry. A god, Saggar, known from Mari is also attested in the texts.

The most notable artifact found was the stele of Adad-nirari III (811 to 783 BC), known as the Tell al-Rimah stela, which may mention an early king of Northern Israel stating "He received the tribute of Ia'asu the Samaritan, of the Tyrian (ruler) and of the Sidonian (ruler)" and contains the first cuneiform mention of Samaria by that name. On the side of the stele was an inscription of Nergal-ereš, who names himself "governor of  Raṣappa". It has been suggested, based on the stele, that Tell al-Rimah has called Zamaḫâ at that time. A larger version of this stele was found at Dūr-Katlimmu.

Old Babylonian period seal was found saying "i-lí-sa-ma-[ás] dumu iq-qa-at utu/iskur ir pí-it-ha-na" ie Ill-Samas, son of Iqqāt-Šamas/Addu, servant of Pithana" which has given rise to the suggestion that this referred to Pithana who was ruler of the Anatolian city of Kuššara though that reading of the rulers name is not certain.

Among the finds were over 40 Middle Assyrian period faience rosettes with "transverse perforations on the reverse sides and a knob disc attached to their obverse sides".

History
While it appears that the site was occupied in the third millennium BC, it reached its greatest size and prominence during the second millennium BC with light occupation in the later Iron Age Neo-Assyrian period. The second millennium activity was primarily strong during the Old Babylonian (contemporary with Zimri-Lim of Mari, Hammurabi of Babylon and Ishme-Dagan of Ekallatum who was the son of Shamshi-Adad I) and Mitanni periods. In a letter found at Mari: "'Speak to Yasmah-Addu, thus says Ishme-Dagan your brother. I wrote to you before to say that I had gone to Karana to help Samu-Addu. The ruler of Eshnunna, together with all his troops, his courtiers and his friends, has assembled  and is staying  in Upe and he kept writing to the ruler of Babylon (Hammurabi) to meet him in Mankisum,  but the ruler of Babylon did not agree.'"

In the Middle Bronze period the site experienced widespread destruction and was abandoned before being re-occupied in the Late Bronze period. In the Mitanni period that followed the Old Babylonian occupation Karana is frequently mentioned in tablets found at the trading city of Nuzi and two Nuzi type tablets were found at Karana. The city was no longer fortified at that time but appears to have been quite prosperous. Another period of abandonment then occurred, followed by re-occupation on a much smaller scale in Neo-Assyrian times. At various times, Tell al-Rimah has been linked with either Qatara or Karana, both cites known to be in that area during the second millennium.

A notable find was a large archive of letters of Iltani, daughter of Samu-Addu, king of Karana from the Old Babylonian period. The archive covers about a four year period and amounts to about 200 tablets. It is known she had at least two sons, one named Yasitna-abum and a sister in Assur. Another sister, Amat-Shamash, who was a priestess in Sippar who once sent her a gift of shrimp. "'The slaves whom my father gave me have grown old; now, I have sent half a mina of silver to the king; allow me my claim and get him to send me slaves who have been captured recently, and who are trustworthy. In recollection of you, I have sent to you five minas of first-rate wool and one container of shrimps'"

Her husband was Aqba-aḫum of Qaṭṭara who in a text found at Mari wrote to her saying "The ice (house) of Qaṭṭara should be unsealed, so that the goddess, you, and Belassunu could drink from it as needed. But the ice must remain under guard.". Another Mari text involving Iltani reveals that there was a version of he goddess Istar at Qatara. "'1 goat, offering of Iltani to Išḫara of Aritanaya; 1 goat offering of Iltani to Ištar of Ninet (Nineveh); 1 spring lamb, offering of Iltani to Ištar of Qaṭṭara, when she dedicated (a votive) statue of Yadruk-Addu; 1 lamb, offering of Iltani to Sin [8.x*.Ṣabrum].'"

Known rulers of Karana

 * Samu-Addu - father of Iltani and Ashkur-Addu. fled to Eshnunna
 * Hatnu-rapi
 * Ashkur-Addu - son of Samu-Addu, brother of Iltani, father of Bini-shakim
 * Aqba-hammu - husband of Iltani, vassal of Hammurabi

Samu-Addu held power in the last years of Shamshi-Adad of Ekallatum and may have been a vassal. With the death of Shamshi-Adad Mari, under Zimri-Lim expanded in the region and Hatnu-rapi, an ally of Zimri-Lim, took power. Hatnu-rapi was present at the sack of Shubat-Enil, the royal city of Shamshi-Adad. In a letter found at Karana: "'Speak to Hatnu-rapi, thus  says Bunu-Ishtar  your  brother.  When  you  have  read  this  letter,  you,  Sharriya  and  the  other  kings who are on your side get together and muster 4,000  men  between  you.  And  I  from  here  shall  muster  2,000  men.  The  former  plus the latter,  6,000 good men,  let us muster  between  us,  and  let  us  send  them  quickly  to  the  help  of  Zimri-Lim;  indeed,  let  us  act  to  save  Zimri-Lim.  This  is  not  a  matter  for  neglect;  let us apply  ourselves  to this,  that we  may the  sooner  send  these  troops  to  Zimri-Lim.  May  my  brother  not  neglect  this  message  of  mine!'"

Ashkur-Addu then deposed Hatnu-rapi, who fled to Mari. A clay sealing read "Bini-sakin, foremost son of the king, servant of Askur-Addu". A messenger text found at Karana "They have brought in four tablets of the governor of Susa in Elam.... I opened  those tablets...  but there was  no news  in  them" showed the wide regional interconnections at this time. Aqba-hammu then deposed Ashkur-Addu and became a vassal of Hammurabi