IRAQ: Excavation mission discovers threshold of King Adad’s Gate in Nimrud

MOSUL, Iraq — Following the archaeological discoveries of archaeological excavations, that became an urgent need to find and preserve for fear of sabotage operations that have damaged the antiquities of Iraq, especially after the ISIS attack and its destruction of many landmarks.

Archaeological missions in Iraq continue to discover antiquities in Nineveh Governorate, recently discovering murals and ancient palaces dating back thousands of years.

One local outlet reported the discovery of the threshold of the Assyrian King Adad-Nirari III’s Gate in Nimrud, decorated with well-preserved cuneiform inscriptions. The gate was discovered during a follow-up excavation, re-examining an area excavated by Austin Henry Layard in the mid-19th century.

Nimrud is an important archaeological site that dates back to the 13th century BC. The site is considered a world archaeological treasure and is a candidate for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The site that was vandalized by the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015.

The site was first excavated by British archaeologist Austin Henry Layard between 1845 and 1851. In the 20th century, Max Mallowan took over the site in the 1950s. The Iraqi Antiquities Department then continued the excavation and some buildings were restored. Three royal tombs were discovered, which were excavated in the 1980s. They contained approximately 57 kg of jewelry made of gold and semi-precious stones. Foreign missions continued to work and excavate periodically in the city. In the spring of 2015, the site suffered significant damage at the hands of ISIS.