VIDEO: Ancient Assyrian site discovered in Erbil

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – An ancient Assyrian temple, dating back 3,000 years B.C., was discovered in Erbil on Monday, two kilometers away from the Erbil citadel.

A Kurdistan24 team embedded with Erbil archaeologists visited the newly-found ancient site.

According to a Kurdistan24 reporter, the antique site, nearly 10-meters underground, was uncovered when a local company was working on a residence project in one of Erbil’s neighborhoods.

Qadri Qurbani, a Kurdish archaeologist, told Kurdistan24 all the findings in the ancient site were similar to previous discoveries in other Assyrian sites.

Qurbani added the Assyrian temple was three meters long and two meters high.

The site included the graves of four people, two of them were buried in specialized coffins.

Qurbani explained there was a similar temple in the Klk Mishk area in Erbil’s Araban neighborhood which also belongs to Assyrians.

Archaeologists are searching other areas in the same location where, according to them, there might be similar temples.

Due to continued work on some projects nearby the Assyrian temple, there were fears these ancient places may be destroyed.

Goran Mohammed, the Director of Erbil Antique, said the initial study of the site revealed the temple belonged to the Assyrians.

Mohammed noted the area would be protected as a tourist location where visitors could visit after it was fully renovated.

[An Assyrian site found in Erbil: Video in Kurdish]

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

(Hoshmand Sadiq from Erbil contributed to this report)