Archeologists excavate Iraq’s ancient city of Nineveh

STORY: Archeologists are excavating Iraq’s ancient city of Nineveh

Location: Mosul, Iraq

The joint Iraqi-Italian project was launched in 2019

(Gabriele Giacosa / Research fellow, University of Bologna)

"For many many years, the common thought was that this area was completely empty from structures and other buildings and was probably occupied by gardens and orchards. / It is quite the opposite. This area was very tightly packed with buildings, connected by small roads, large roads, streets. So this part of Nineveh was very heavily occupied by structures like houses and workshops."

The team hopes the project will help protect the country's heritage

and promote tourism in the area

(Nicolo Marchetti / Professor of near east archeology, University of Bologna)

"This is not just archeological research. The ancient city of Nineveh is totally encroached by modern east Mosul. So we have to cope with this reality but at the same time, devise strategies and reasons for protecting the site also, and foremost in the eyes of the population. So we must turn this big asset, cultural, historical, but also touristical as a positive asset for the city and not as a perceived obstacle to development. This is crucial. Otherwise we will not succeed."