Editing Nineveh (section)

=== Excavation history ===

In 1842, the French Consul General at Mosul, [[Paul-Émile Botta]], began to search the vast mounds that lay along the opposite bank of the river. While at Tell Kuyunjiq he had little success, the locals whom he employed in these excavations, to their great surprise, came upon the ruins of a building at the 20&nbsp;km far-away mound of [[Khorsabad]], which, on further exploration, turned out to be the royal palace of [[Sargon II]], in which large numbers of reliefs were found and recorded, though they had been damaged by fire and were mostly too fragile to remove.

[[File:Nineve.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.4|Bronze lion from Nineveh]]

In 1847 the young British diplomat [[Austen Henry Layard]] explored the ruins.<ref>A. H. Layard, ''Nineveh and Its Remains'', John Murray, 1849</ref><ref>A. H. Layard, ''Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon'', John Murray, 1853</ref><ref>A. H. Layard, ''The Monuments of Nineveh; From Drawings Made on the Spot'', John Murray, 1849</ref><ref>A. H. Layard, ''A second series of the monuments of Nineveh'', John Murray, 1853</ref> Layard did not use modern archaeological methods; his stated goal was "to obtain the largest possible number of well preserved objects of art at the least possible outlay of time and money".<ref>Liverani 2016, pp. 32–33.</ref> In the Kuyunjiq mound, Layard rediscovered in 1849 the lost palace of Sennacherib with its 71 rooms and colossal [[bas-relief]]s. He also unearthed the palace and famous [[library of Ashurbanipal]] with 22,000 cuneiform clay tablets. Most of Layard's material was sent to the [[British Museum]], but others were dispersed elsewhere as two large pieces which were given to [[Lady Charlotte Guest]] and eventually found their way to the [[Metropolitan Museum]].<ref>John Malcolm Russell, ''From Nineveh to New York: The Strange Story of the Assyrian Reliefs in the Metropolitan Museum & the Hidden Masterpiece at Canford School'', Yale University Press, 1997, {{ISBN|0-300-06459-4}}</ref> The study of the archaeology of Nineveh reveals the wealth and glory of ancient Assyria under kings such as [[Esarhaddon]] (681–669&nbsp;BC) and [[Ashurbanipal]] (669–626&nbsp;BC).

The work of exploration was carried on by [[Hormuzd Rassam]] (an [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]]), [[George Smith (Assyriologist)|George Smith]] and others, and a vast treasury of specimens of Assyria was incrementally exhumed for European museums. Palace after palace was discovered, with their decorations and their sculptured slabs, revealing the life and manners of this ancient people, their arts of war and peace, the forms of their religion, the style of their architecture, and the magnificence of their monarchs.<ref>George Smith, ''Assyrian Discoveries: An Account of Explorations and Discoveries on the Site of Nineveh, During 1873 and 1874'', S. Low-Marston-Searle and Rivington, 1876</ref><ref>Hormuzd Rassam and Robert William Rogers, ''Asshur and the Land of Nimrod'', Curts & Jennings, 1897</ref>

The mound of Tell Kuyunjiq was excavated again by the archaeologists of the [[British Museum]], led by [[Leonard William King]], at the beginning of the 20th century. Their efforts concentrated on the site of the Temple of [[Nabu]], the god of writing, where another cuneiform library was supposed to exist. However, no such library was ever found: most likely, it had been destroyed by the activities of later residents.

The excavations started again in 1927, under the direction of [[Reginald Campbell Thompson|Campbell Thompson]], who had taken part in King's expeditions.<ref>R. Campbell Thompson and R. W. Hutchinson, "The excavations on the temple of Nabu at Nineveh", ''Archaeologia'', vol. 79, pp. 103–148, 1929</ref><ref>R. Campbell Thompson and R. W. Hutchinson, "The site of the palace of Ashurnasirpal II at Nineveh excavated in 1929–30", ''Liverpool Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology'', vol. 18, pp. 79–112, 1931</ref><ref>R. Campbell Thompson and R. W. Hamilton, "The British Museum excavations on the temple of Ishtar at Nineveh 1930–31", ''Liverpool Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology'', vol. 19, pp. 55–116, 1932</ref><ref>R. Campbell Thompson and M. E. L. Mallowan, "The British Museum excavations at Nineveh 1931–32", ''Liverpool Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology'', vol. 20, pp. 71–186, 1933</ref> Some works were carried out outside Kuyunjiq, for instance on the mound of Tell Nebi Yunus, which was the ancient arsenal of Nineveh, or along the outside walls. Here, near the northwestern corner of the walls, beyond the pavement of a later building, the archaeologists found almost 300 fragments of prisms recording the royal annals of Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, and Ashurbanipal, beside a prism of Esarhaddon which was almost perfect.

After the [[Second World War]], several excavations were carried out by [[Iraqis|Iraqi]] archaeologists. From 1951 to 1958, Mohammed Ali Mustafa worked the site.<ref>Mohammed Ali Mustafa, ''Sumer'', vol. 10, pp. 110–111, 1954</ref><ref>Mohammed Ali Mustafa, ''Sumer'', vol. 11, pp. 4, 1955</ref> The work was continued from 1967 through 1971 by Tariq Madhloom.<ref>Tariq Madhloom, "Excavations at Nineveh: A preliminary report", ''Sumer'', vol. 23, pp. 76–79, 1967</ref><ref>Tariq Madhloom, "Excavations at Nineveh: The 1967–68 Campaign", ''Sumer'', vol 24, pp. 45–51, 1968</ref><ref>Tariq Madhloom, "Excavations at Nineveh: The 1968–69 Campaign", ''Sumer'', vol. 25, pp. 43–49, 1969</ref> Some additional excavation occurred by Manhal Jabur from the early 1970s to 1987. For the most part, these digs focused on Tell Nebi Yunus.

The British archaeologist and Assyriologist Professor [[David Stronach]] of the [[University of California, Berkeley]] conducted a series of surveys and digs at the site from 1987 to 1990, focusing his attentions on the several gates and the existent mudbrick walls, as well as the system that supplied water to the city in times of siege. The excavation reports are in progress.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~semitic/wl/digsites/Mesopotamia/Nineveh_07/index.htm |title=Shelby White – Leon Levy Program for Archaeological Publications – Nineveh Publication Grant |access-date=2011-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722120816/http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~semitic/wl/digsites/Mesopotamia/Nineveh_07/index.htm |archive-date=2011-07-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

After Mosul’s liberation from the control of the [[Islamic State]] (IS), {{ill|Peter A. Miglus|de}}, University of Heidelberg, established a rescue project in 2018, exploring and documenting the intrusive IS tunnels in the Assyrian Military Palace that is located below the destroyed Mosque of the prophet [[Jonah]] on Tell Nebi Yunus. Archaeological excavations have been conducted since 2019.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Maul |first1=S. M. |last2=Miglus |first2=P. A. |last3=Aguilar Kons |first3=J. |last4=al-Magasees |first4=A. |last5=Fetner |first5=R. |last6=Heiler |first6=J. |last7=Stępniowski |first7=F. M. |last8=Tamm |first8=A. |display-authors=2 |year=2020 |title=Die Erforschung des ekal māšarti auf Tell Nebi Yunus in Ninive 2018–2019 |trans-title=Research into the ekal māšarti on Tell Nebi Yunus in Nineveh 2018–2019 |journal=Zeitschrift für Orient-Archäologie |publication-date=2021 |volume=13 |pages=128–213 |isbn=978-3-7861-2860-1 |issn=1868-9078}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Maul |first1=S. M. |last2=Miglus |first2=P. A. |last3=al-Magasees |first3=A. Q. |last4=Aguilar Kons |first4=J. |last5=Fetner |first5=R. |last6=Heiler |first6=J. |last7=Stępniowski |first7=F. M. |last8=Tamm |first8=T. |display-authors=3 |year=2022 |title=في موقع تل النبي يونس - نينوى الأثرية ٢٠١٨-٢٠١٩ (ekal māšarti) تنقيبات البعثة الألمانية في القصر العسكري |trans-title=Excavations of the German mission in the Military Palace (ekal māšarti) on Tell Nebi Yunus – Archaeological site of Nineveh 2018–2019 |journal=Sumer |volume=68 |pages=11–80}}</ref> Subsequently, an extensive research project, first under the direction of [[Stefan Maul|Stefan M. Maul]] and now of Aaron Schmidt, University of Heidelberg, developed, focusing also on other areas of Nineveh. At Tell Kuyunjiq, activities started in 2021 with rescue and restoration measures for the destroyed reliefs in the throne room wing of the Southwest Palace. Excavations in the North Palace commenced in 2022. Since 2023, work has also been conducted at the Nergal Gate, which was bulldozed by IS. In the lower town, geophysical surveys were carried out north of Kuyunjiq in 2021 and 2023 in preparation of future research on residential areas.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Maul |first1=S. M. |last2=Miglus |first2=P. A. |last3=Schmitt |first3=A. |last4=al-Magasees |first4=A. |display-authors=3 |year=2023 |title=Excavations of the Royal Palaces on Tell Nebi Yunus and Tell Kuyunjik at Nineveh, Seasons 2021–2023 |journal=Zeitschrift für Orient-Archäologie |publication-date=2024 |volume=16 (in print)}}</ref>

An Iraqi–Italian Archaeological Expedition by the [[University of Bologna|Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna]] and the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage ([https://www.sbah.gov.iq SBAH]), led by Nicolò Marchetti, began (with five campaigns having taken place between 2019 and 2023) a project aiming at the excavation, conservation and public presentation of the lower town of Nineveh. Work was carried out in nineteen excavation areas, from the Adad Gate – now completely repaired (after removing hundreds of tons of debris from ISIL's 2016 destructions), explored and protected with a new roof – deep into the Nebi Yunus town. In a few areas a thick later stratigraphy was encountered, but the late 7th century BC stratum was reached everywhere (actually in two areas in the pre-Sennacherib lower town the excavations already exposed older strata, up to the 11th century BC until now, aiming in the future at exploring the first settlement therein).<ref>N. Marchetti, G. Marchesi (2022). “Nineveh: The Resumption of Archaeological Exploration in the Centre of the Empire”, in D. Morandi Bonacossi, F. Simi, L. Turri (eds), ''From the Core of the Empire. New Archaeological Discoveries of the University of Udine in Ancient Assyria,'' Udine, pp. 170-189.</ref> In October 2023 an archaeological park was inaugurated at the site.

Since 2024, an expedition led by Tim Harrison of the [[Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures|ISAC]] at the University of Chicago has taken over from the University of Bologna the investigation of the eastern lower town at Nineveh.