Archaeologists praise, and very importantly, the dramatic discovery of the Bronze Age palace. It was found in a reservoir of waters, found in a lake in Iraq due to severe drought unearthed these rare historical sites, is an important civilization of the country.
Aerial view of Kemune Palace from the west. The magnificent Palace will once stop only 20 meters from the Tigris River
In the Iraqi-Kurdistan region, it was exposed because of the significant decline in the level of the Mosul Dam due to a severe lack of rainfall. The dam's structure, built in the 1980s, was discovered in 2010, and rising water levels meant it was submerged once.
Palace out to sea
Walkway on the west side of the wall on the terrace. © Image Credit: eScience Centre of the University of Tübingen/Archaeology of Kurdistan
The resurgence of last year's drought has prompted archaeologists to launch an initiative to preserve and document the site. There were fears that the palace might be lowered or would be harmed.
The project team is made up of German and local Kurdish professionals. Led by "Dr. Hassan Ahmed Qasim and Ivana Puljiz as a joint project between the University of Tübingen and the Kurdistan Archaeological Organization," according to Kurdistan 24. In a highly conflicted conflict against the Islamic State, the two team leaders also assisted in the discovery of the Bronze Age city in northern Iraq.
The palace is thought to have as many as 3 400 elderly people, and archaeologists have been shocked by what has been discovered. The website of the preliminary investigation said it had previously stood 65 feet (22 meters) high. It was built of mud bricks, which were commonly used in all types of structures throughout the Bronze Age in the eastern part of antiquity.
Some of the walls are over 6 feet (2 meters) thick and the entire structure is carefully planned. According to CNN Travel, "A terrace wall of mud bricks was later added to stabilize the building and strengthen the building."
Treasures inside the palace
The large room was excavated in the Kemune Palace. © Image Credit: eScience Centre of the University of Tübingen/Archaeology of Kurdistan
There is a large wide chamber in the palace that is plastered with inheritances. Most notably, the crew found a sequence of frescoes or murals in red and blue, indicating a high degree of complexity.
These are the most likely components of the Bronze Age royal structures, although they are often removed. DR CNN Tourism quoted Ivana Puljiz, "The frescoes found in Kemune are an archaeological feel."
Archaeologists have also found 10 clay tablets with cuneiform writing on them. In ancient Mesopotamia, this was the most popular type of writing. The remains have been sent to Germany, where experts will decipher and transcribe them.
Palace Kemune
© Image Credit: eScience Centre of the University of Tübingen/Archaeology of Kurdistan
The Kemune Palace is considered to have been from "the time of the Mitanni empire, which dominated most of North America in Sobhutamia and Syria from the 15th to the 14th century," according to Kurdistan 24. The Mitanni were a Hurrian speaker who rose to prominence as a regional power due to their might in the war.
Despite their historical significance, no one knows about this very important culture. All we do know since the archaeological sites, Syria and the history books of neighboring cultures like the Egyptians and Assyrians. As a result, since there is so much that is well known about the Mitanni, none of them is certain about the location or funding of their origins.
The crew is investigating the palace. 10 clay tablets will be the research of the future. If decoded, they will further elaborate on the Empire of the Mitanni. It may reveal more about the religion, governance, politics and history of this intriguing ancient Eastern society.