Qermez Dere
| Location | Nineveh, Iraq |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°31′0.01″N 42°49′59.99″E / 36.5166694°N 42.8333306°E |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 8500 BC |
| Abandoned | c. 7900 BC |
| Periods | Pre-Pottery Neolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Discovered | 1987 |
| Excavation dates | 1987, 1989-1990 |
| Archaeologists | Trevor Watkins |
Qermez Dere was an early Neolithic settlement in the northwestern edges of Tal Afar in Nineveh, Iraq. This archaeological site was discovered in 1987 during a rescue operation. It covers an area of about 100 metres (330 ft) x 60 metres (200 ft) and forms a 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall tell. The buildings were made of primitive Mud bricks, which is not a perennial material, and are mostly destroyed. However, archaeologists have excavated a one-room structure in good shape. The room's corners are rounded, showing the care that went into its construction. Also, vestiges of non-structural clay columns have been found, suggesting primitive instances of furniture.
Radiocarbon dating has estimated that Qermez Dere was built between 8500 BC and 7900 BC.