Latest news with #Ashurbanipal
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
From massive carvings to tiny rings: See archaeological finds from the week
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Throughout history, cultures have left behind a trail of breadcrumbs for archaeologists to follow. New sites and artifacts are found all the time, revealing forgotten secrets of the past. Here are some of the latest discoveries: Dig at ancient king's throne room unearths 26,000-pound carving. 'Spectacular' In Nineveh, Iraq, a team of archaeologists uncovered a 26,000-pound carving in King Ashurbanipal's throne room. This extraordinary relief depicts the king and several Assyrian deities, providing a glimpse into the religious and artistic culture of the Assyrian Empire. The find is linked to the reign of Ashurbanipal, known for his contributions to Mesopotamian culture. | Published May 14 | Read More | 1,200-year-old gilded cross found by metal detectorist in UK field. 'Remarkable' In Leeds, England, a metal detectorist discovered a 1,200-year-old gilded Saxon cross, offering a fascinating glimpse into the region's past. This stunning piece of metalwork, likely worn by someone of high status, reflects the religious identity of the time. | Published May 15 | Read More | 'Uncommon' 8-sided Roman ring — at least 1,600 years old — found in UK ditch In Lincolnshire, England, archaeologists unearthed a 1,600-year-old Roman ring from a drainage ditch. This eight-sided copper alloy ring, likely lost by its wearer, offers a tactile connection to the past. The find is considered uncommon and adds to the understanding of Roman presence in Britain. | Published May 15 | Read More | Legend about school in Mexico being an ancient cemetery turns out to be true In Zacatecas, Mexico, renovations at an elementary school revealed a historic cemetery, confirming local legend. The discovery included a wooden coffin and several burials, dating back to when the building served as a convent and hospital. | Published May 16 | Read More | 4,500-year-old baby rattles discovered in Syria — made from clay. See the toys In Hama, Syria, archaeologists discovered 4,500-year-old clay baby rattles, revealing insights into ancient childhood. These rattles, found in a neighborhood dating back to the Early Bronze Age, were likely used to entertain children, much like toys today. The discovery highlights the universality of parental care across millennia. | Published May 20 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery of intriguing archaeological discoveries from around the globe. Check back to see the latest finds.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Stone slab discovery reveals clues to major deities of ancient Assyrian empire
A huge stone slab discovered near the Iraqi city of Mosul offers new clues to the major deities of the ancient Assyrians, who ruled one of antiquity's great empires. Unearthed by a German team at the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, the relief depicts the 7th-century BC ruler King Ashurbanipal, flanked by the gods Ashur and Ishtar. They are accompanied by a mythological creature known as a fish genius, who granted the gods and the king life and salvation. 'These figures suggest that a massive winged sun disk was originally mounted above the relief,' one of the archaeologists said, adding that more work is needed to fully understand the monument's significance.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Find Extremely Rare Statue of Ancient Ruler
Archaeologists working in the ancient city of Nineveh—now Mosul, Iraq—have unearthed a gigantic statue depicting King Ashurbanipal, the former ruler of the Assyrian Empire, Ancient Origins reported. The statue was carved in a stone slab weighing 12 tons and measuring about 18 feet wide and 10 feet high. Researchers say that the discovery is notable for its extreme size, not to mention what's depicted. "Among the many relief images of Assyrian palaces we know of, there are no depictions of major deities," explained lead scientist Aaron Schmitt. Nineveh was considered to be one of the most crucial powers in North Mesopotamia and was named capital of the Assyrian empire in the late eighth century B.C. Schmitt and his team have been investigating a section of King Ashurbanipal's North Palace, known as Kuyunjik, since 2022. Schmitt explained that the carving was located in a niche of the palace adjacent to the main entrance, where it would be seen by all coming and going, a place of great significance within the estate. Schmitt and his team place the construction of the niche around the Hellvanicx period, or possibly the second or third century, predating Jesus Christ, due to relief fragments found in a pit of soil located behind the niche. "The fact that these fragments were buried is surely one reason why the British archaeologists never found them over a hundred years ago," Schmitt hypothesized. Schmitt and his team will work in the coming months to analyze the carvings in more detail with the hope of discovering the context in which the statue was created. They plan to publish their findings in an academic journal at a later date.
Iraqi News
19-05-2025
- General
- Iraqi News
Historic Assyrian discovery stuns archaeologists in Iraq
Baghdad ( – A stunning archaeological discovery has been made in the ruins of ancient Nineveh, now part of Mosul, Iraq. A massive stone relief depicting King Ashurbanipal, one of the most powerful rulers of the Assyrian Empire, has been uncovered by a Heidelberg University excavation team, according to Ancient Origins. The find was made in the throne room of the North Palace, a once-grand structure that served as a royal seat during Ashurbanipal's reign in the 7th century BC. The relief, carved from a single stone block measuring 5.5 meters long, 3 meters tall, and weighing approximately 12 tons, shows the king standing alongside two prominent deities and several attendants. Excavation work in ancient Nineveh, now part of Mosul, Iraq. Photo credit: Heidelberg University Since 2022, archaeologist Dr. Aaron Schmitt and his team have been exploring Kuyunjik, the site that includes the remnants of the North Palace. The discovery adds to the rich visual legacy of Assyrian art, which, like that of ancient Egypt, used elaborate wall carvings to depict scenes of kingship, divinity, and power. Once the capital of the Assyrian Empire in the late 9th century BC, Nineveh was a major urban center in northern Mesopotamia, known for its impressive architecture and cultural significance. Plans are now in motion to return the relief to its original setting, where it will eventually be made accessible to the public, in cooperation with Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage.
Newsweek
15-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Archaeologists Reveal Ancient Throne Room Relief Depicting King and Gods
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Excavations in Iraq have unearthed the remains of a massive relief depicting both the last great ruler of the Assyrian empire and two deities. The remains—missed by archaeologists for more than a century—were found in an earth-filled pit in the throne room of the North Palace of King Ashurbanipal (668-627 BCE) in the ancient city of Nineveh. The relief, which likely would have weighed some 12 tons, was carved on a massive stone slab 18 feet long by nearly 10 feet tall. However, the researchers said, the find is remarkable not only for its scale, but also for the scenes that the artwork depicted. "Among the many relief images of Assyrian palaces we know of, there are no depictions of major deities," said excavation lead and archaeologist Professor Aaron Schmitt of Heidelberg University, Germany, in a statement. Part of the newly discovered relief in the ancient city of Nineveh. Part of the newly discovered relief in the ancient city of Nineveh. Aaron Schmitt Located near the modern city of Mosul, Nineveh was one of the most-important cities of North Mesopotamia, having become the Assyrian capital in the late eighth-century BCE. Named after its placement on the citadel mound of Kuyunjik, the North Palace is thought to have been completed around 643 BCE—and then burnt down not long after, in 612 BCE, when Nineveh was sacked by the Babylonians. The palace was rediscovered by a British Museum-led archaeological expedition in late 1853—during which several large-scale reliefs, now on display in the museum in London, were uncovered. Schmitt and his colleagues have been conducting excavations on the Kuyunjik mound since 2022, but only recently discovered the new relief, which the team thinks was originally displayed in a niche across from the throne room's main entrance. The pit in which the fragments of the relief were found was behind this niche, and likely dug in the third- or second-century BCE. "The fact that these fragments were buried is surely one reason the British archaeologists never found them over 100 years ago," Schmitt said. King Ashurbanipal is depicted in the center of the relief (shown here in a 3D reconstruction, with the recovered parts in gray); he is flanked by two supreme deities, Ashur and Ishtar, who are both... King Ashurbanipal is depicted in the center of the relief (shown here in a 3D reconstruction, with the recovered parts in gray); he is flanked by two supreme deities, Ashur and Ishtar, who are both followed with a demigod and a scorpion man. More Michael Rummel King Ashurbanipal—remembered both for his assembly of a vast library in Nineveh, but also for his sheer brutality against enemy nations and rebellious citizens alike—is depicted in the center of the relief. He is flanked by two supreme deities: Ashur, the Assyrian national god; and Ishtar, goddess of fertility, love and war—and the patron of Nineveh. They are both each followed by a fish demigod—who would have granted the king and the gods life and salvation—as well as a scorpion man with his arms raised. "These figures suggest that a massive winged sun disk was originally mounted above the relief," said Schmitt. Excavations continue in the ancient city of Nineveh. Excavations continue in the ancient city of Nineveh. Aaron Schmitt In the wake of their discovery, Schmitt and his team are continuing their analysis of the relief, with the intention of publishing their results in a scientific journal. Meanwhile, in tandem with the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, the researchers are working to put the relief on display to the public in its original location. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via science@
