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The Origin of Tar Al-Say’ed and Tar Al-Najaf, Karbala-Najaf Vicinity, Central Iraq



Author(s)

Varoujan K. Sissakian1, Mawahib F. Abdul Jab’bar2, Nadhir A. Al-Ansari3 and Sven Knutsson3

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DOI:10.17265/1934-7359/2015.04.008

1. Private consultant geologist, Erbil 14006, Iraq
2. State Company of Geological Survey and Mining, Baghdad 14001, Iraq
3. Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea 97187, Sweden

In central part of Iraq within the vicinity of Karbala-Najaf, two cliffs called “Tar Al-Say’ed” and “Tar Al-Najaf” form conspicuous geomorphological forms between the Mesopotamia Plain and the Western and Southern Deserts. The top surface between the two cliffs (tars) is covered by alluvial fan sediments, laid down by Al-Khir Valley when merging in a large depression due to the drop in the gradient of the valley. Consequently, the depression was divided into two parts, to the left is called Al-Razzazah Depression, whereas to the right is called Bahir Al-Najaf. This affected the course of the River Euphrates. The deposition stopped due to an uplift movement which caused the elevation of the two cliffs which are covered by alluvial fan sediments. The two cliffs had and are still suffering from retreating, due to lateral erosion by wave actions in Al-Razzazah Depression. Springs located along a straight line, sag pond, deflected drainage, shutter ridges and pressure ridges can be noticed in the area. The age of both cliffs is estimated to be upper Late Pleistocene—early Holocene.

Neotectonic, erosional cliff, alluvial fan, Pleistocene, Iraq.