A 3,400-year-old city emerged from the waters of the Mosul reservoir on the Tigris River as a result of the severe drought that hit Iraq.
A team of Kurdish and German archaeologists believe they have discovered ancient Zakhiko, an important center of the Mitanni Empire (1550-1350 BC), and reveals University of Freiburg and Tübingen.
Zakhiku was built about 3,400 years ago on the site of Kan They live consecutively until 1980, Saddam Hussein’s regime decided to build the Mosul Dam, A structure that would cause that area to be submerged.
a Iraq is one of the countries most affected by climate change, and since the end of 2021, the country has been dealing with periods of severe drought. Some cultures have been preserved Large quantities of water were taken from the Mosul tank. This led to the re-emergence of the city from the Bronze Age.
pressure for Collect and dig as quickly as possible, The team of archaeologists was able to map other sites, in addition to castledocumented in 2018. A fortress with several walls, towers, a storage building, and The industrial complex that controlled large parts of northern Mesopotamia and Syria.
“The warehouse is of particular importance, because it should be so Store Huge quantities of goods, probably brought from all over the region,” says Ivana Polges.
Hassan Qassem concludes that “the results of the excavations… They show that the site was an important center of the Mitanni Empire.”
The team of archaeologists was amazed by keep the wall, Some are several meters high, despite being Made of sun-dried and underwater clay bricks for over 40 years.
Good preservation is due to the fact that The city was destroyed in an earthquake around 1350 BC, through it The upper parts of the collapsed walls buried the buildings.
during excavations, About five pottery vessels containing 100 tablets with cuneiform inscriptions were found. These pieces date back to the Middle Assyrian period. some Terracotta plates can be letters, which are still contained in envelopes of clay.
Archaeologists hope that with this discovery they will be able to gather important information. About the end of the Mitanni period and the beginning of Assyrian rule in the region.
To prevent further damage to the important site due to rising water levels, The entire excavated buildings were covered with plastic wrap and covered with pebbles, As part of a conservation project funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.
zachiko It’s again Underwater. When you return to the surface, the file Archaeologists will be willing to continue the work.
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