Nimrud, Archaeological site in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq
Nimrud is an archaeological site beside the Tigris in Nineveh Governorate, preserving the remains of palaces, temples and fortification walls from the Assyrian period. The complex covers several hectares and still shows the foundations of large buildings alongside scattered stone blocks.
The city was founded in the 13th century BC and became the capital of the Assyrian empire under King Ashurnasirpal II. Later rulers expanded the complex with additional palaces and temples until the city was abandoned in the 7th century BC.
The monumental lions and human-headed bulls once guarded the main entrances and still impress visitors with their scale today. In some areas you can still see traces of the glazed brickwork that decorated the facades in bright colors.
The site lies in a flat landscape near the river and is uneven in places due to rubble mounds and trenches. Sturdy footwear is advisable because the paths cross sand and gravel with little shade available.
Archaeologists discovered more than 600 ivory pieces hidden in a well inside a palace chamber, preserved under water for centuries. The carvings came from different cultural regions and show motifs from Egypt, Syria and Anatolia.
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