Iraqi Antiquities Authority announces discovery of hall adorned with winged bulls adjacent to King Sennacherib’s throne room

NINEVEH PLAINS — The Iraqi General Authority for Antiquities and Heritage unveiled a significant archaeological find — the discovery of an expansive hall adorned with a pair of winged bulls at its entrances, situated in proximity to the throne room of King Sennacherib, who ruled the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 704 to 681 BC. This remarkable revelation surfaced during excavation efforts conducted by the German archaeological mission at the Tel Nabi Yunus site in Nineveh Governorate.

Suhail Al-Tamimi, the director of the excavations department at the General Authority for Antiquities and Heritage, disclosed that the German mission, operating within the collaborative framework of the Iraq-Germany program, unearthed a substantial hall with entrances embellished by winged bulls. This hall stands adjacent to the throne room associated with King Sennacherib.

The discovery, made during the ongoing mission supervised by Director General Ali Obaid Shalgam and the oversight committee led by the Director of the Excavations Department, revealed glazed bricks and cuneiform-inscribed bricks within the hall. Additionally, fragments of metal sheets that once adorned the hall’s gates were found.

Al-Tamimi emphasized that excavation efforts are actively underway on the eastern side of the Prophet Yunus Mosque building to unveil the main entrance leading to the Throne Hall. The follow-up committee, overseeing the German mission’s operations, has identified specific points for attention and recommended their addressed alignment with the guidelines set by the General Authority for Antiquities and Heritage.