Drought reveals remains of ancient city in Duhok. Photo: Rudaw
SEMEL, Kurdistan Region - A team of Kurdish and German archeologists excavated an ancient city in Duhok after it emerged earlier from the waters of Mosul reservoir as water levels fell rapidly due to drought in Iraq.
The settlement could be Zakhiku, an ancient center in the Mittani Empire dating back to 1550 - 1350 BC, according to archaeological research.
Teams consisting of the Duhok's Archeological Directorate and the Kurdistan Region Archaeological Organization, in collaboration with the University of Freiburg and the University of Tübingen, have been excavating for 40 days.
“Excavation was done, and the planning and the structure of the city were determined. It consisted of roads and houses and the remaining buildings of the Mittani state discovered in 2018,” Hassan Ahmed, head of Kurdistan Regional Archaeological Organization told Rudaw’s Ayub Nasri on Monday.
Iraq is one of the countries most affected by climate change, with large amounts of water being drawn down from the Mosul dam to prevent crops from drying out. According to the archaeological research, the move led to the reappearance of the Bronze Age city, which had been submerged decades ago.
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