Drained reservoir in Iraq reveals ancient city over 3,400 years old

Group of German and Kurdish archaeologists discovered The 3,400-year-old city of the era of the Mittani Empire (Mitanni), once located along the Tigris River in northern Mesopotamia and adjacent areas.

• The settlement literally surfaced in the Mosul reservoir earlier this year, when water levels quickly dropped due to a severe drought in Iraq.
• The sprawling city with a palace and several large buildings may have been ancient Zakiku, which scholars believe was an important center of the Mittani empire (c. 1550-1350 BC.).

Iraq is one of the countries in the world most affected by climate change. The south of the country has been suffering from a severe drought for several months now. Since December, large amounts of water have been withdrawn from the Mosul Reservoir, the most important water reservoir in the country, to prevent crops from drying up. This led to the exposure of the Bronze Age city, which was flooded decades ago without any prior archaeological research. It is located in Kemun in Kurdistan.

This unforeseen event prompted archaeologists to excavate quickly to document at least some parts of this large important city before it was flooded again.

Within a few days, a group of German archaeologists from the universities of Freiburg and Tübingen was assembled. In a short time they managed to draw up a map of the settlement. In addition to the palace, which was already documented during the short 2018 campaign, several other large buildings - a massive fortification with a wall and towers, a monumental multi-storey warehouse building and an industrial complex.

The research team was stunned by the well-preserved condition of the walls - sometimes up to a height several meters - despite the fact that they are made of mud brick and were under water for at least 40 years. Their safety is explained by the fact that the city was destroyed by an earthquake around 1350. BC, during which the fragments of the walls actually mothballed some objects.

Of particular interest was the discovery of five ceramic vessels containing an archive of more than 100 cuneiform tablets. They belong to the Middle Assyrian period - after the earthquake. Some of the tablets are still in their clay envelopes. The researchers hope that this discovery will provide important information about the end of the city of the Mittani period and the beginning of Assyrian rule in the region.

To prevent further damage to the important site due to rising water, the excavated buildings were completely covered with tight-fitting plastic sheeting and covered with gravel. This will reduce the effect of water on the stones, saving the buildings for further research in the future.