Once the crown jewel of the ancient Assyrian empire, the archaeological site was ravaged by Islamic State fighters after they seized large areas of Iraq and neighbouring Syria in 2014.

January 09, 2025 10:09 am IST – Nimrud

A decade after jihadists ransacked Iraq’s famed Nimrud site, archaeologists have been painstakingly putting together its ancient treasures, shattered into tens of thousands of tiny fragments.

Once the crown jewel of the ancient Assyrian empire, the archaeological site was ravaged by Islamic State (IS) fighters after they seized large areas of Iraq and neighbouring Syria in 2014.

The precious pre-Islamic artefacts destroyed by the jihadists are now in pieces, but the archaeologists working in Nimrud are undaunted by the colossal task they face.

“Every time we find a piece and bring it to its original place, it’s like a new discovery,” Abdel Ghani Ghadi, a 47-year-old expert working on the site, said.

More than 500 artefacts were found shattered at the site, located about 30 km from Mosul, the city in northern Iraq where IS established the capital of their self-declared “caliphate”.

Meticulous excavation work by Iraqi archaeologists has already yielded more than 35,000 fragments.

The archaeologists have been carefully reassembling bas-reliefs, sculptures and decorated slabs depicting mythical creatures, which had all graced the palace of Assyrian King Ashurnasirpal II nearly 3,000 years ago.

Seen from above, the pieces of the puzzle gradually come together. Shards of what just several years ago was a single artefact are placed side by side, protected by sheets of green tarpaulin.

Bit by bit, the image of Ashurnasirpal II appears on one bas-relief alongside a winged, bearded figure with curly hair and a flower on its wrist, as the restoration brings back to life rich details carved in stone millennia ago.

Another artefact shows handcuffed prisoners from territories that rebelled against the mighty Assyrian army.

Partially reconstructed lamassus — depictions of an Assyrian deity with a human head, the body of a bull or a lion and the wings of a bird — lay on their side, not far from tablets bearing ancient cuneiform text.

“These sculptures are the treasures of Mesopotamia,” said Mr. Ghadi.

“Nimrud is the heritage of all of humanity, a history that goes back 3,000 years.”

‘Complex operation’

Founded in the 13th century BC as Kalhu, Nimrud reached its peak in the ninth century BC and was the second capital of the Assyrian empire.

Propaganda videos released by IS in 2015 showed jihadists destroying monuments with bulldozers, hacking away at them with pickaxes or exploding them.

One of those monuments was the 2,800-year-old temple of Nabu, the Mesopotamian god of wisdom and writing.

IS fighters wreaked havoc at other sites too, like the once-celebrated Mosul Museum and ancient Palmyra in neighbouring Syria.

The jihadist group was defeated in Iraq in 2017, and the restoration project in Nimrud began a year later, only to be interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and restart in 2023.

Mohamed Kassim of the Academic Research Institute in Iraq said that “until now, it has been a process of collection, classification and identification.”

About 70% of the collection work has been completed at the Assyrian palace site, with about a year’s worth of fieldwork left before restoration can begin in full force, said Mr. Kassim, noting it was a “complex operation”.

His organisation has been working closely with Iraqi archaeologists, supporting their drive to “save” Nimrud and preserve its cultural riches, through training sessions provided by the Smithsonian Institution with financial support from the United States.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/iraqi-archaeologists-piece-together-ancient-treasures-ravaged-by-islamic-state/article69077129.ece

The 4,100-year-old tomb of a doctor who “treated the pharaoh himself” has been discovered at the site of Saqqara in Egypt.

The burial belongs to a doctor named “Tetinebefou,” the Swiss-French team that made the discovery reported in a translated blog post. Although the artifacts in the tomb had been plundered, archaeologists were able to study the site’s wall paintings and hieroglyphic inscriptions, which describe the doctor’s position and depict a variety of objects that may have been used in his medical treatments..

A 14-kilogram cache of Roman mail armor, unearthed in 2012 during excavations in a civilian settlement (vicus) near the Roman legionary fortress in Bonn, Germany, has been studied using advanced imaging techniques, revealing how soldiers maintained and recycled their equipment far from supply hubs.

The find consists of at least four mail garments—two nearly complete and two fragmentary—corroded into a single mass over time. Unlike other metal objects, which could be melted down, mail armor comprised small, interconnected rings that necessitated alternative recycling methods. Damaged armor pieces served as “donors” to patch other garments, similar to mending textiles in antiquity.

Researchers from the LVR-Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege im Rheinland, the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, and the Czech Academy of Sciences collaborated to analyze the armor using high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans. “X-ray technology allows us to see what cannot be seen with the naked eye,” explained Holger Becker of the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn. The scans uncovered details about the intricate construction of the armor, including rings of varying sizes, arranged in patterns typical of Roman chainmail.

Experts believe the cache was a stockpile intended for armor repair. Found in a pit outside a vicus house, it likely served as a resource for local craftspeople who worked closely with the Roman army. Dr. Martijn Wijnhoven of the Czech Academy of Sciences emphasized the significance of this find, stating, “This is the first clear evidence that mail armor was being repaired outside a Roman military installation.”

The vicus, an extramural settlement tied to the Bonn fortress, played a vital role in supporting the military. Local artisans are thought to have processed military waste, including scrap metal, to patch armor. The discovery highlights the symbiotic relationship between Roman soldiers and civilian communities, particularly in frontier regions where the army depended on local support to maintain readiness.

https://archaeologymag.com/2024/12/14-kilogram-roman-chainmail-found-near-bonn/#:~:text=A%2014%2Dkilogram%20cache%20of,equipment%20far%20from%20supply%20hubs.

The Ancient Sassanian City of Bishapur
By  Dr. Kaveh Farrokh
The article “Ancient City of Bishapur” written by Baback Khademi was published on the Iran Marco Polo venue on February 6, 2019. It is notable that Bishapur is registered as a UNESCO world heritage site.
The version printed below has been slightly edited from the original version posted in the Iran Marco Polo venue. Kindly note that the map of the Sassanian Empire printed below does not appear in the original Iran Marco Polo venue. For more on the topic of Sassanian architecture see: The Sassanians
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Between two ancient cities of Persepolis and Susa, linking two Sassanian (224-651 CE) capitals of Estakhr and Ctesiphon, founded or better saying rebuilt on an older city, Bishapur became a dazzling jewel of its era. The city is named after Shapur I (241-272 CE) as Bishapur by the size of 2*1 kilometers. The city has a square plan with two main streets crossing each other, and reaching the main gates, unlike other Iranian cities that have a circular plan.

A map of the Sassanian Empire in 230-450 CE drafted by Kaveh Farrokh on page 187 (2007) for the book Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War-Персы: Армия великих царей-سایه‌های صحرا-:
There are different assumptions about how the city was built; like being built by captured Roman soldiers or by Roman and Iranian architects and artists, but they are all based on the same facts. The city has a structure quite like the Roman cities of that time with the same micro mosaic decorations in the royal palace. Though it is popularly believed that King Shapur ordered building the city after his great victory over the Roman Emperor, Valerian, which led to his captire along with his entire legion. As a result it can be dated back to 260 CE. There is also an inscription over two 9 meter high columns in the city which shows year 24 after the reign of Shapur, so 264 or 266 CE as Shapur was assigned as King before his father’s death in 242.

Bishapur Royal Hall (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
The city of Bishapur is near a river also called Shapur, which flows through Tang-e Chaogan gorge. This gorge is believed to be used for playing polo (Chogan in Persian) by the Sassanid kings and contains six bas reliefs and the giant statue of Shapur in a cave high in the mountain. Tang-e Chogan gorge, together with the city of Bishapur form a great historical attraction amusing those interested in visiting monuments of the ancient Iran. Back to the city, we can find different things to visit. The defense towers were protecting the city and the royal citadel. Going further we reach the royal citadel that includes the ceremony hall, mosaic portico (ivan), Anahita temple, Valerian Palace, and the Islamic era school.

Bishapur mosque of the Islamic era (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
The palace which is attributed to Valerian is still a mystery to the historians as there is not yet enough information available about it. As stories say that Valerian, the Roman emperor, lived here after being captivated by Shapur. However, by having such a special structure with big square shape rock-bricks, it is obvious it used to be an important element of the royal citadel.

Valerian Halls of Bishapur (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
The ceremonial hall is the first time in Sassanian era the cross plan with for facing ivans (porticos) were utilized in such buildings, which later became a common style for fire temples and even mosques and Islamic schools. This hall had a huge dome (25 meters high) in the center, one of the first of its kind, still survived partial until 19th century as seen in European travelers’ drawings. The square hall had 64 decorated niches, presenting the creativity of the Iranian artists.

Bishapur Ceremonial Hall (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
The roofless mosaic ivan was home to several Roman style micro mosaic motifs, covered the ground. These precious mosaics are now kept in Louvre and Iran national museum.

Bishapur mosaic hall, now in Louvre museum (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
One of the most unique buildings in Bishapur is the Temple of Anahita. Not only architecturally fabulous, but also really impressive by the means of controlling and dividing water in the building without hearing the the water flowing in the temple. This temple of water (as Anahita was the goddess of water or the protector angel of water), is a square of 14 by 14 meters, built 6 meters under the ground level to have the water of the river flowing inside it and let it out through a well hidden well. There were two symmetric bull capitals, imitated the ones in Persepolis, over the walls of the temple.

Bishapur Anahita Temple (of water) (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
Another highlight of the complex is the so called devotion place (or memorial columns) in front of the two high columns. Originally, there was a big statue of Shapur on the platform as written on two inscriptions on one of the columns; the one indicating the construction date. These memorial columns were in the city center, surrounded by the living places of normal people and later structures such as bazaars, caravanserais, bathhouses (hammams), bridge and even a jame mosque of the Islamic era in the southern side. There is also remnants of a fire temple in the city and the ruins of a once huge fortress on a hill to the north of Bishapur.

Bishapur memorial columns (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
City of Bishapur is around 130 km to the west of Shiraz and a great option for travelers who go from Shiraz to Ahvaz or vice versa.

More views of the Bishapur Anahita Temple (of water) (Source: Iran Marco Polo).
Related posts:
1. UNESCO: Sassanian Archaeological Landscape of the Fars Region
2. Sassanian Relief at Salmas (ancient Shapur)
3. UNESCO: Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent
4. Sassanian Inscription Unearthed in Ancient Iran Necropolis Being Deciphered
5. Sandstorm in Southern Iran exposed Lost Ancient City and Relics
6. The Ancient Ruler of the Burnt City
7. The Ancient Site of Takhte Sulaiman
8. UNESCO celebrates 1,750th anniversary of Iran’s Gundi-Shapur University
9. The Great Wall of Gorgan: Longest Ancient Barrier between Central Europe and China
10. Italian AGON Journal article: Ties of Greco-Roman civilization with ancient Iran
By Dr. Kaveh Farrokh|October 18th, 2021|Ancient: Prehistory – 651 A.D., Archaeology, Architecture, Europa and Eire-An (Ancient Iran/Persia), Iran and Europe, Sassanians, UNESCO|Comments Offon The Ancient Sassanian City of Bishapur
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By Jarrett A. LobellAs

As they strolled through a colonnaded peristyle shaded from the blazing sun or admired the stunning frescoes covering the walls of their opulent home, the residents of the Villa Arianna would have prized their view of Mount Vesuvius not too far in the distance. But the volcano would ultimately cause their demise, as the same eruption that engulfed Pompeii in A.D. 79 also buried the villa, which once covered some 27,000 square feet and contained dozens of rooms and lush gardens. While reexcavating in one of the villa’s small peristyles, a team from the Archaeological Superintendency of Pompeii recently uncovered a perfectly preserved, decorated lead water tank and several pipes that had been part of the residence’s state-of-the-art water supply system. The tank would have remained at least partially aboveground to allow access to two shut-off keys used to regulate the flow of water throughout the property.

The Romans are well known for water management on a grand scale, most notably the miles-long arched aqueducts that supplied the city of Rome as well as much of their vast empire. They also excelled at managing water for domestic use, especially in luxury estates such as the Villa Arianna, where running water, copious fountains, swimming pools, and private baths were de rigueur.

https://archaeology.org/issues/march-april-2023/collection/italy-stabiae-villa-water-supply/the-ancient-promise-of-water/’

ROME, ITALY—Italian police seized an array of third-century b.c. Etruscan artifacts that looters had found on their own land in the Umbrian town of Città della Pieve and had attempted to sell on the black market, according to a report in The Straits Times. Two sarcophagi, eight stone urns carved with Greek mythological scenes, a perfume bottle, and bronze mirrors are among the finds. The urns, some of which were inscribed with the family name Pulfna, were topped by lids featured sculptures of reclining women whose lips and jewelry still preserve traces of paint. In 2015, a farmer in Città della Pieve plowing land near the findspot of the recovered artifacts uncovered a hypogeum that also belonged to the Pulfna family.

World Philosophy Day

November 21

By celebrating World Philosophy Day each year, on the third Thursday of November, UNESCO underlines the enduring value of philosophy for the development of human thought, for each culture and for each individual.

Philosophy is an inspiring discipline as well as an everyday practice that can transform societies. By enabling to discover the diversity of the intellectual currents in the world, philosophy stimulates intercultural dialogue. By awakening minds to the exercise of thinking and the reasoned confrontation of opinions, philosophy helps to build a more tolerant, more respectful society. It thus helps to understand and respond to major contemporary challenges by creating the intellectual conditions for change

World Philosophy Day is an international day proclaimed by UNESCO to be celebrated every 3rd Thursday of November. It was first celebrated on 21 November 2002.

International Week of Science and Peace

November 10

The International Week of Science and Peace was first observed during 1986 as part of the observance of the International Year of Peace. The organization of events and activities for the week was undertaken as a non-governmental initiative; the secretariat for the International Year of Peace was informed of the preparatory activities and the final summary of events that occurred during the week. The organizers sought to encourage the broadest possible international participation in the observance.

Based on the success of the 1986 observance, the organizers continued their efforts in successive years. In recognition of the value of the annual observance, the General Assembly adopted resolution 43/61 in December 1988, which proclaims the “International Week of Science and Peace”, to take place each year during the week in which 11 November falls. The General Assembly urged Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to encourage relevant institutions, associations and individuals to sponsor events and activities related to the study and dissemination of information on the links between progress in science and technology and maintenance of peace and security; urged Member States to promote international co-operation among scientists and required the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly as its forty-fifth session on the activities and initiatives of Member States and interested organizations in connection with the week.

The annual observance of the International Week of Science and Peace is making an important contribution to the promotion of peace. The Week encourages greater academic exchanges on a subject of universal importance while also generating greater awareness of the relationship of science and peace among the general public. Based on observances of Science and Peace Week to date, it may be expected that participation each year will increase, contributing to greater international understanding and opportunities for co-operation in the applications of science for the promotion of peace throughout the year.