New discoveries unveil hidden structures in ancient Assyrian city

A team of researchers has uncovered previously unknown features at the ancient Assyrian city of Dur-Sharrukin, located in modern-day northern Iraq. 

Researchers have made several fascinating discoveries at an ancient city that briefly served as the capital for one of history's most influential and powerful empires, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The city, known as Dur-Sharrukin, is located at the present-day site of Khorsabad, a village in northern Iraq. It was established during the reign of King Sargon II, who ruled the Assyrian empire from 721 B.C. until his death in 705 B.C.

Sargon constructed the city, naming it after himself, to serve as the new capital of the empire. However, following his sudden death in battle, his son and successor moved the capital to Nineveh shortly afterward. As a result, Dur-Sharrukin was abandoned over time, never fully completed.

Now, a research team has shared the results of their investigation into the ancient site, which revealed evidence of previously unknown buildings and infrastructure within the square city walls, covering more than one square mile. These findings suggest that more construction had taken place at the site than previously believed.

Research at Dur-Sharrukin has faced significant challenges in recent years due to ongoing conflicts. In 2015, members of the Islamic State (IS) destroyed parts of the ancient city, and shortly afterward, fighting erupted between Kurdish forces and IS soldiers in the region.

However, in 2022, a team led by Jörg Fassbinder from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich successfully mapped approximately seven percent of the city using a high-resolution magnetometer. This advanced tool detects specific magnetic properties in various soils, rocks, and other materials, enabling archaeologists to "visualize" hidden features beneath the surface.

To conduct the survey, the researchers manually carried the 33-pound magnetometer system, walking long, straight lines to cover an area of 2.79 million square feet over the course of a week. Due to the volatile situation in the area, the team chose not to use a drone or vehicle for the mapping to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

After gathering the magnetic data, the team was able to generate grayscale images of the site, revealing the outlines of several previously unknown structures. Among these were five massive monumental buildings, including what seems to be a 127-room villa—twice the size of the White House. The survey also uncovered other intriguing features, such as potential palace gardens.

"Every day we discovered something new," Fassbinder said in a press release.

"All of this was found with no excavation. Excavation is very expensive, so the archaeologists wanted to know in detail what they could expect to achieve by digging. The survey saved time and money. It's a necessary tool before starting any excavation."

At one location of particular interest, the team dug a small test trench, which confirmed the presence of a "very substantial" building with 13-foot-thick mud brick walls, some of which appear to be up to four feet high.

By Naila Huseynova