Nearly a decade after militants destroyed the ancient city of Nimrud, archaeologists in Iraq are restoring its ancient treasures, shattered into tens of thousands of fragments. Once a jewel of the Assyrian Empire, Nimrud is now a site of painstaking recovery, reflecting both its historical significance and the devastation it endured.
Destruction of Iraq’s ancient treasures
In 2015, propaganda videos showed ISIS militants reducing the site to rubble using bulldozers, pickaxes, and explosives. Among the monuments destroyed was the 2,800-year-old temple of Nabu, the Mesopotamian god of wisdom and writing.
Similar destruction occurred at the Mosul Museum and Syria’s ancient Palmyra. The militant group’s occupation ended in 2017, but the scars remain.
A legacy of the Assyrian empire
Founded 15,000 years ago as Kalhu, Nimrud became the second capital of the Assyrian Empire around 4,000 years later. Its elaborate art and architecture stood as a testament to Mesopotamian civilization.
The city’s treasures, including massive lamassu statues – mythical beings with human heads, animal bodies, and bird wings – drew international attention when the site was first excavated in the 19th century. Some of these statues now reside in the British Museum in London and the Louvre in Paris.
A slow road to restoration
Efforts to restore Nimrud began in 2018 but were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Work resumed in 2023, with archaeologists focusing on collecting, classifying, and identifying the fragmented pieces. Over 35,000 shards have been recovered from the site, located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Mosul.
Rebuilding treasures of the past
Archaeologists are carefully reconstructing bas-reliefs, sculptures, and decorative slabs that once adorned the palace of King Ashurnasirpal II nearly 3,000 years ago. One bas-relief reveals the king standing beside a winged figure holding a flower.
Another depicts handcuffed prisoners, likely from territories that resisted Assyrian rule. Partially reconstructed lamassu statues lie nearby, alongside ancient cuneiform tablets.
An Iraqi-American team is leading efforts in the reconstruction and restoration of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud which was destroyed and looted during the Islamic State’s reign of terror in Mosul. pic.twitter.com/q33S6E3rCW
— The New Region (@thenewregion) January 5, 2025
“Every time we find a piece and bring it to its original place, it’s like a new discovery,” said Abdel Ghani Ghadi, a 47-year-old archaeologist working on the restoration. These sculptures are treasures of Mesopotamia and belong to all of humanity.
Challenges and international support
Iraq’s Culture Minister, Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, acknowledged the challenges, saying that the vast destruction has made it impossible, at least for now, to ascertain which antiquities were looted. He also added that it could take 10 years to fully restore the palace of Ashurnasirpal II.
The restoration effort has received global support. The Smithsonian Institution has provided training for Iraqi archaeologists, supported by funding from the United States.
However, experts like Mohamed Kassim from the Academic Research Institute in Iraq stress that international expertise remains crucial due to the complexity of the work.
A unique cultural legacy
Nimrud, in addition to ancient treasures in Iraq, also holds a unique cultural legacy. British author Agatha Christie once visited the site with her archaeologist husband, inspired by its rich history. Today, the restoration reflects both the resilience of Iraq’s heritage and the global significance of this ancient site.