Iraq uncovers 5,000-year-old city after Mosul Dam waters recede

Dubai: Archaeologists in Iraq’s Kurdistan region have uncovered the remains of an ancient city dating back more than 5,000 years, revealed after receding waters at Mosul Dam exposed a long-submerged settlement.

The Directorate of Antiquities in Duhok announced Friday that the discovery includes what may be the largest cemetery yet found in the area, containing at least 40 clay coffins from the Hellenistic period, believed to date to around 300 B.C. 

Excavations are now underway to preserve the graves and recover artifacts before water levels rise again.

Initial findings suggest the site contains relics spanning multiple eras, from the “Nineveh V” period and the early and middle Bronze Ages to the Mitanni kingdom, the Neo-Assyrian empire, and the Islamic period. 

Pottery fragments from these layers, along with intact Hellenistic-era artifacts, offer evidence of a settlement with deep historical significance.

The site lies in the old village of Khanke in southern Duhok Province, an area that was submerged when Mosul Dam was completed in 1986. 

This year’s unusually sharp decline in water levels has exposed the ruins, prompting a rapid salvage excavation.

“This discovery could greatly enrich our understanding of the region’s history,” said Bex Breefkani, director of Duhok’s Antiquities Department, who noted that further excavation is likely to reveal additional materials and insights into the cultural exchanges that shaped northern Mesopotamia.