As part of the project “Doliche – Urban Development and Cultural Milieu in Hellenistic-Roman Northern Syria”, an intensive archaeological survey was carried out in the city area between 2017 and 2019. The intensive survey has significantly expanded the sparse knowledge of the spatio-temporal extent, i.e. the size of the settlement at different times, and the functional organization of the city. The question of the duration and continuity of the settlement was in the foreground. The distribution and concentration of surface finds has provided indications of changes in settlement size and possible shifts in settlement activity. In this way, the historical record of the town’s history can be supplemented by archaeological data.
However, the analysis of surface finds can also provide information on the functional organization of the town. Large concentrations of certain finds may allow conclusions to be drawn about the use of certain areas: misfired pottery or large quantities of metal or glass slag, for example, could be indications of craft production, or the presence of large quantities of domestic pottery, tesserae and fragments of marble wall cladding could serve as an indicator of elite residential development. In order to clarify such questions, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of a material sample representative of all phases of use is necessary.

It is well known that the distribution of archaeological artifacts on the modern surface is not a reflection of the underlying features. Rather, it is the product of numerous natural and anthropogenic factors that affect the location and position of the finds. A careful analysis that takes these factors into account can nevertheless make significant contributions to our knowledge of Doliche’s urban history. The data obtained from the survey can also help in the selection of future excavation sites.