A 3,400-year-old city in Iraq emerges from underwater after an extreme drought

By Megan Marples, CNN

Updated 1706 GMT (0106 HKT) June 20, 2022

An ancient city in Iraq is believed to be Zakhiku, a settlement in the Mittani Empire that reigned from 1550 to 1350 BC.
Photos: 3,400 year-old city in Iraq revealed after drought
An ancient city in Iraq is believed to be Zakhiku, a settlement in the Mittani Empire that reigned from 1550 to 1350 BC.
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Archaeologists raced against the clock to excavate the site before rising water levels engulfed the city again.
Photos: 3,400 year-old city in Iraq revealed after drought
Archaeologists raced against the clock to excavate the site before rising water levels engulfed the city again.
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Five ceramic vessels were discovered among the ruins and contained over 100 cuneiform tablets. They are likely from the Middle Assyrian Period, directly followng the Mittani Empire's reign.
Photos: 3,400 year-old city in Iraq revealed after drought
Five ceramic vessels were discovered among the ruins and contained over 100 cuneiform tablets. They are likely from the Middle Assyrian Period, directly followng the Mittani Empire's reign.
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Researchers tightly covered the ruins with plastic tarps to prevent the ancient site from water erosion.
Photos: 3,400 year-old city in Iraq revealed after drought
Researchers tightly covered the ruins with plastic tarps to prevent the ancient site from water erosion.
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The cuneiform tablets have yet to be studied, but researchers hope they detail the fate of the city after a devastating earthquake.
Photos: 3,400 year-old city in Iraq revealed after drought
The cuneiform tablets have yet to be studied, but researchers hope they detail the fate of the city after a devastating earthquake.
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Archaeologists had to work in extreme weather, like storms and freezing temperatures, to excavate the settlement before it disappeared underwater.
Photos: 3,400 year-old city in Iraq revealed after drought
Archaeologists had to work in extreme weather, like storms and freezing temperatures, to excavate the settlement before it disappeared underwater.
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