It was founded during the fourth millennium BC, possibly by the Hurrians, on a site which appears to have been inhabited previously for a few centuries.

[4] Seal inscriptions give evidence for a city ruler with the Hurrian name of Tupkish, and his queen with the Akkadian name of Uqnitum.

Tupkish, who ruled during the ascendancy of the Akkadian Empire, assumed the title of "king of Urkesh and Nagar".

[8] Important excavated structures include the royal palace of Tupkish, an associated necromantic underground structure (Abi), a monumental temple terrace with a plaza in front and a temple at the top, residential areas, burial areas, and the inner and outer city walls.

[12] The work has been led by Giorgio Buccellati of UCLA and Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati of California State University, Los Angeles.

The main focus is on the 'Global Record', a method of documentation that combines journal entries into a hypertext based output.

This system marries the advantages of both the database and prose type approaches, in that elements are individually linked across both stratigraphy and typology, and yet remain tied in a more synthetic whole through the narrative of the archaeological record.

[18] The mud brick architecture which comprises the majority of the structures found to date has been preserved over the years though an innovative system.

A sizeable lab in the field research facility allows the conservators to give the best possible on-site care while interacting with the excavations.

Horizons are the broad chronological subdivisions based on comparative material and as they can be linked to the general historical understanding.

The site lies close to the Turkish border, and is protected by Kurdish troops and a team of local workers.