2023 - Bazhera: Ottoman Stations in Iraqi Kurdistan, by Valentina Vezzoli

The site of Bazhera, near the Zagros Mountains, is an austere-looking building which was once a key station in the vast communication network during the Ottoman rule of the region.

This project worked to survey the settlement and its surroundings, study the preserved standing structe, and conduct fieldwork regarding the material culture at this important Ottoman site in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The Ottoman era was an important one for Iraq, forming its modern borders and several major cities. Yet little is known of its archaeology. This project used the site as a case study to demystify Ottoman rule and how it communication worked in the region.

The study took particular interest in human activity at the frontier of the Ottoman Empire, and opened up new information about it.

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