Buildings and Temple dated to 3,000 BC unearthed at Tel Zurghul in Iraq
The Italian archaeological campaign carried out by Sapienza University of Rome and Perugia University from 10 October to 1 December 2016 at Tel Zurghul, the site of ancient Nigin, one of the three main cities of the ancient Sumerian State of Lagash, has ended.
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Excavations at Tel Zurghul [Credit: University of Perugia] |
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Archaeologists of the mission of Tel Zurghul work on the main mound [Credit: University of Perugia] |
In the second excavation area, opened this year on top of Mound A, the archaeologists have exposed a temple dedicated to Nanshe, a goddess associated with water and fishing, whose presence was known from numerous cuneiform inscriptions of the Kings of the ancient State of Lagash, found at Tel Zurghul and other sites in the region, some of which are conserved in the Musée du Louvre in Paris.
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Detail of clay plaque depicting a bull with a human head [Credit: University of Perugia] |
The first excavation of the Italian archaeological expedition in 2015 had already established that the site dates back to at least 5000 BC (Ubaid Period) and had grown into a large settlement by the fourth millennium BC during the Late Uruk Period.
For more information The Italian Archaeological Expedition to Tell Zurghul website.
Source University of Perugia [December 29, 2016]
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