The 1972 season at Umm Dabaghiyah took place under vastly different conditions from the first year. An exceptionally good Spring turned the countryside into a comparatively green and flowery land. Without a single dust storm and with thunder and rain only during the evenings and nights, we were able to work without interruption. These climatic changes are important to record, as within two consecutive years we have experienced two extremes which must also have been regular occurrences when the site was occupied.

The field work lasted for nine weeks, from mid-March until late May, and was followed by a further month at Baghdad when all the final drawings were prepared, a task impossible to undertake in damp tents.

The excavations took place under the auspices of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq and with the aid of a grant from the British Academy. Directed by the writer, the following team took part; Miss Deidre Bowden, Messrs. Stuart Munro-Hay, John McDonald and Peter Farries, site supervisors; Mr. Neville Akroyd, draughts-man and surveyor, and Mrs. Barbara Akroyd, conservator. Sayid Ismail al-Hajara, representing the Directorate General of Antiquities, was an invaluable member of the team and a first class site supervisor. We are grateful for his hard work and genuine interest in the site.

During the season we were most pleased to welcome the Director General of Antiquities, Dr. Isa Salman, when he visited the excavations together with members of his staff. Once again we express our deep gratitude to the Director General of Antiquities, to the Inspector General of Excavations, Dr. Fuad Safar and to the staff of the Directorate General for their helpful co-operation and interest. We also thank the Government officers at Hatra for their friendly help.