Dozens of artifacts discovered in Iraq’s Diyala province

Some of the artifacts found in Diyala province. (Photo: Diyala’s Antiquities Inspectorate)
Some of the artifacts found in Diyala province. (Photo: Diyala’s Antiquities Inspectorate)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Diyala Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate announced the discovery of 141 ancient artifacts on Tuesday.

In a statement, Ahmed Abdul-Jabbar, the department’s director, said that an excavation team found 91 artifacts from the Seleucid and Parthian eras west of the Baquba district. They were found on an archaeological hill recently discovered during a field excavation for a housing complex project in the Katoun area, west of Baqubah.

The artifacts consist of jars, lamps, various pots, beads, ornaments, and silver coins, Abdul-Jabar explained.

He also announced the discovery of 50 artifacts at the al-Zindan archaeological site in the Muqdadiya district, including lamps, spears, jewelry, coins, and dolls from the Sassanid era and others from the Islamic periods.

Diyala province includes more than 800 archaeological sites spanning numerous different eras, some of which are more than 5,000 years old, dating back to the civilization of Eshnunna and the Sumerians. A mere 5 percent of them have been subjected to excavations by exploration teams, while the rest remain buried under the soil.

Several archaeological sites in Diyala province suffer from neglect and abuse, especially in agricultural and remote areas.