The site covers about 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi) and the central tell is around 9 metres (30 ft) high.

[1] Tell Taya was excavated by a team from the British School of Archaeology in Iraq led by J. E. Reade in 1967–1969 and 1972–1973.

There were nine levels of occupation on the main mound with "each ended in a destruction, desertion, or fundamental change of plan".

Both simple administrative tablets, found in the Old Babylonian level, were sealed "Hasidim, son of Anzanum, servant of Samsi-Adad".

There is some evidence of Early Dynastic occupation, but major building at Tell Taya began around the time that the Akkadian Empire emerges.