Ancient archaeological city found under Iraqi lake

[k98nights]

Ancient archaeological city found under Iraqi lake

3/23/2011 10:25 AM

KARBALA / Aswat al-Iraq – A group of Iraqi archaeologists have found an ancient archaeological city, drowned under the waters of southwest Iraq’s al-Razzaza Lake, dating back to the pre-Islam era, the Chairman of the Tourism & Archaeology Committee in Karbala Province said on Wednesday.

“The Archaeologists, representing the Tourism & Archaeology Directorate and our Committee have carried out excavations in al-Razzaza Lake, exposed for drying recently, where they found traces of the said ancient city, which was addressed as “the House of Men of Wisdom” during the early Islamic era, Dr.

Iftikhar Abbas told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Dr.

Iftikhar said the ancient city included a long fence, houses, archaeological hills, as well as ancient antiques, dating back to the Aramean Period of Misopotamia, 200 years BC.

Noteworthy is that the western side of Karbala city comprises several archaeological and historic positions, including the most ancient Christian Church in the Middle East and other historic remnants, among them the Muqida Minarette, al-Ukheidher Palace, Shamoun Palace and other ancient positions.

Karbala, the center of the province carrying the same name, is 108 kms to the south of Baghdad.

IT / SKH

http://en.aswatalira...e&id=141590&l=1

Ancient town discovered in Karbala

Wednesday, March 23rd 2011 11:23 AM

Erbil, March 23 (AKnews)- The relics of an ancient town, dating back to two centuries BC- to the Aramean era, was discovered in the suburbs of Karbala, 108 km southwest of Baghdad.

Iftikhar Abbas, the chairwoman for the tourism and archeology committee in Karbala Provincial Council told AKnews the site is located near Al-Zaraza Lake.

Abbas said the site which was called the House of Wisdom during the Islamic era was covered by the lake water. However, with the draughts and the recession of the water the ancient site became evident.

Some residents in the nearby areas informed the tourism and archeology committee in Karbala about a hill near the lake which eventually led to the discovery.

Some fences and substantial hills are discovered in the site.

Abbas urged the federal government to allocate a budge to protect the site against looting.

The Aramaeans, also Arameans were a northwest Semitic semi-nomadic and pastoralist people who originated in what is now modern Syria during the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Large groups migrated to Mesopotamia (Iraq) where they intermingled with the native Akkadian (Assyrian and Babylonian) population.

The Aramaeans never had a unified empire; they were divided into independent kingdoms all across the Near East. After the Bronze Age collapse, their political influence was confined to a number of Syro-Hittite states, which were entirely absorbed into the Neo-Assyrian Empire by the 8th century BC.

Reported by Hasun Haffar

Lh/AKnews

http://www.aknews.co...knews/1/226839/

[Off-the-grid]

Thanks for posting this K98. I wonder how many more archeological sites wait to be discovered in the fertile crescent. Just as oil and gas exploration is incomplete in Iraq, I'm sure much of the country has yet to be explored by archeologists. I know that was true in Saudi when I lived there - the monarchy wanted everyone to focus on the future and everthing new they had accomplished. The past was of no consequence. They had no problem with our exploring extinct oasi (plural of oasis?) and keeping any artifacts we found.

Peace and Prosperity