- Title: IRAQ: Ancient tomb dating back to 1500 BC found in Arbil
- Date: 20th January 2009
- Summary: ARBIL, IRAQ (RECENT) (REUTERS) KURDISH OFFICIALS AND ARCHAEOLOGISTS GATHERING IN FRONT OF HOUSE WHERE ANCIENT TOMB DISCOVERED LADDER LEADING TO THE WELL WHERE TOMB WAS FOUND ROOM WHICH CONTAINS TOMB AND ARTEFACTS MAN DIGGING ARBIL GOVERNOR NUZAD HADI TALKING TO ARCHAEOLOGIST AT SITE VARIOUS OF SITE EXTERIOR OF HOUSE WHERE TOMB AND ARTEFACTS WERE FOUND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MUM HUSSEIN, IRAQ KURD WHO DISCOVERED ANCIENT TOMB, SAYING "I found the artefacts while I was digging a well over there. When I found the artefacts, I informed the authorities and they came to inspect the artefacts on the site." EXTERIOR OF HOUSE WHERE TOMB AND ARTEFACTS WERE FOUND VARIOUS OF ARTEFACTS ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF FOSSILS ON DISPLAY EXTERIOR OF ARBIL PROVINCE GOVERNORATE ARBIL GOVERNOR NUZAD HADI IN HIS OFFICE IRAQI AND KURDISTAN REGION FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NUZAD HADI, ARBIL GOVERNOR, SAYING: "We found the remains of people who were buried in this tomb alongside some of their property and tools. Of course this site will be designated as an archaeological site and preserved. There will also be more excavations around it." HADI'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NUZAD HADI, ARBIL GOVERNOR, SAYING: "I think the artefacts date back 3500 years, to 1500 BC. Arbil is a historical city that is thought to have been continually inhabited for 8000 years. It has witnessed the many civilisations and empires that ruled this ancient region of the world. So naturally it holds many of the secrets of ancient civilisations." HADI LEAVING OFFICE
- Embargoed: 4th February 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Iraq
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: History
- Reuters ID: LVA9EB6T1GQC1U4YL9DZSNJ45AWL
- Story Text: A 3500-year-old tomb was uncovered in the northern Arbil province of Iraq on Sunday (January 11). Found by a Kurdish man digging a well in his home, the tomb contained human remains and ancient artefacts -- pots and vessels that were buried with the dead to hold food and drink for their journey to the next life.
"I found the artefacts while I was digging a well over there. When I found the artefacts, I informed the authorities and they came to inspect the artefacts on the site," Mum Hussein told Reuters.
Kurdish officials have designated the discovery an archaeological site and plan more digs in the surrounding area.
"We found the remains of people who were buried in this tomb alongside some of their property and tools. Of course this site will be designated as an archaeological site and preserved. There will also be more excavations around it," said Arbil governor Nuzad Hadi.
One of the oldest continually-inhabited cities of the world, urban life in Arbil can be dated by back to the 23rd century BC.
It was once a centre for the worship of Assyrian goddess of fertility, Ishtar, and is mentioned in Sumerian holy writings (about 2000 BC) as Arbilum, Orbilum or Urbilim. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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