The site, which lies 60 meters above the west bank of the Euphrates River, was founded on virgin soil, and covers an area of about 3 hectares.

[1] Three charcoal samples, associated with a fragment of a miniature limestone clay wheel, gave calibrated radiocarbon dates of 3335–3103 BC, 3333–3101BC, and 3315–2916BC.

[2] In 1909 Gertrude Bell observed the tell on a journey down the East bank of the Euphrates river but was prevented from crossing over to explore it by high winds.

[3] After having been visited by Maurits Van Loon in 1964 as part of the rescue survey the site of Jebel Aruda was excavated, as part of the Tabqa Dam rescue effort, between 1972 and 1982 by a Dutch team from the University of Leiden led by G. Van Driel.

[4] Finds from this excavation are held in the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities though are property of the government of Syria.

Kilns were found in the courtyard of NC-NF compounds associated with ashy deposits containing a large number of bevel rim bowls and flower pots.

Originally on the left bank of the Euphrates river, it is now an island as a result of flooding from the Tabqa Dam.

[30][31][32] A German team in 1981 led by W. Orthmann and from 1984 to 1990 and from 1992 to 1994 led by J. Boesse of the University of Saarbruecken focused on the Late-Terminal Ubaid period, Uruk period (4th millennium BC) and Iron Age (1st millennium BC) areas.

Also in the Uruk period levels a left bent axis single shrine temple was found.

[43] Five ostracon, inscribed in Aramaic and dated to the 5th century BC, were found in the rubble of an Iron Age building.

After being identified in a regional survey, from 1977-1979 the site was worked by a team under the direction of Giorgio Buccellati and Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati, finding 15 occupational levels corresponding to three architectural phases beginning in the Ubaid period.

The site was in danger from local inhabitants with 4 meters in height, and most of the 2nd millennium BC occupation, already lost to building activity.

[48][49][50][51] It has been suggested that the beveled rim bowls were used in the production of salt and an experiment was conducted at the site to test this proposal.