Ancient tombs unearthed in Iraq: Drought exposes hidden sites; '40 discovered so far'

Archaeologists in northern Iraq have uncovered around 40 ancient tombs after falling water levels in the country’s largest reservoir exposed hidden sites, according to an antiquities official said on Saturday.

The discovery was made near the Mosul Dam in the Khanke region of Duhok province, where an antiquities team led by Bekas Brefkany had first spotted traces of tombs during a 2023 survey.


"So far, we have discovered approximately 40 tombs," Bekas Brefkany, the director of antiquities in Duhok told AFP.

The team could begin excavations only after water levels fell "to their lowest" this year, he added.

The tombs are believed to be more than 2,300 years old, dating back to the Hellenistic-Seleucid era. Researchers plan to move them to the Duhok Museum for preservation before the area is submerged again.

"The droughts have significant impact on many aspects, like agriculture and electricity. But, for us archaeologists... it allows us to do excavation work," Brefkany noted.

Iraq has been battling five consecutive years of drought, which has dried reservoirs, reduced farm output, and cut hydropower.

While devastating for daily life, the drought has exposed several ancient sites in recent years.

Authorities warn that water reserves have shrunk to just 8% of full capacity, the lowest since 1933, blaming both climate change and upstream dams in Turkey and Iran for restricting the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.