Archaeological and Geomagnetic Implications of New Archaeomagnetic Intensity Data from the Early Bronze High Terrace ‘Massif Rouge’ at Mari (Tell Hariri, Syria)

We present new archaeointensity data from the M esopotamian city of M ari ( S yria), in particular from the high terrace ‘ M assif R ouge’ dated at c.2550 bce . These data were obtained using the experimental protocol developed for the T riaxe magnetometer. They allow for increased confidence in a strong geomagnetic field intensity maximum during the 26th century bce . They also show that the second urban phase of M ari (‘ville II ’) was marked by a decrease in the geomagnetic field intensity. We use this evolution to propose a relative chronology between different ensembles of fragments, thus highlighting some renovations in the R oyal P alace of ville II .