Insediamenti fortificati del Vicino Oriente. La cittadella di 'Urfa (Turchia)

This paper presents a summary of the results of an ongoing archaeological research on the citadel of Şanlıurfa, Turkey. It briefly discusses the history of fortification in the area and the present state of knowledge. It than illustrates the sequence of construction of the citadel on the basis of a stratigraphic analysis of the archaeological remains preserved above ground at the citadel, together with the study of historical photos and a re-examination of the written sources. This research is contributing to a better understanding of the evolution process that led to the development of a mature military architecture in the area and of the building techniques that were employed in this context