BEIRUT — Declassified U.S. spy satellite images from the 1970s show British and Iraqi archaeological teams have discovered the site of a 7th-century battle that was decisive in the spread of Islam throughout the region. led them to a place they believed.
The Battle of al-Qadisiya was fought in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) in the 630s AD, during a period of Muslim expansion, between Arab Muslims and the armies of the Sassanid Persian dynasty. The Arab armies were victorious and continued their march into Persia, modern-day Iran.
A joint team of archaeologists from Durham University and Al-Qadisiyah University in the UK used remote sensing to map the Darb Zubaydah, a pilgrimage route from Kufa, Iraq, to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, built more than 1,000 years ago. I discovered this ruin by chance while conducting a survey. . The findings were published Tuesday in the journal Antiquity.
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While mapping the route, the research team found a site about 32 miles south of Kufa in Iraq’s southern Najaf province (a desert region dotted with farmland) that is home to al-Qadi, a site described in historical sources. I noticed that there are characteristics that closely match the descriptions of the Siya battle scene. text.
William Dedman, an expert in archaeological remote sensing at Durham University, said Cold War-era satellite images were a common tool used by archaeologists working in the Middle East, adding that some old images had been destroyed or altered. This is because features that are often not displayed are often shown. About current satellite images.
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“The Middle East has developed significantly over the past 50 years, both in agricultural expansion and urban expansion,” he said. Some of the striking features of al-Qadisiyah, such as the distinctive grooves, were “much more primitive and clear” in images from the 1970s, he said.
A ground survey confirmed the results and the team was confident they had accurately located the site.
Ja’far Joteri, a professor of archeology at Al-Qadisiyah University and a member of the discovery team, said the main features are a deep ditch, two forts and an ancient river crossing said to have once been crossed by Persian armies on elephants. It is said that it was a river. . The team also found pottery shards consistent with the era of the battle.
obvious famous battles
Joteri said all Iraqis of his generation who grew up under Saddam Hussein’s rule knew the battle in great detail, down to the names of the generals on both sides.
The fighting at the time had political overtones, with Iraq engaged in a devastating war with Iran throughout much of the 1980s. Saddam pointed to the battle of Qadisiya as a harbinger of Iraq’s victory.
Like most children who grew up in that era, Joteri said she had seen the popular movie depicting the battle many times, as it was regularly shown on television.
In the post-Saddam era, al-Qadisiyya has become something of a political litmus test. Iraqis’ views on the battle vary depending on their feelings toward Iran, which has expanded its influence in the country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam’s regime.
“There are some political and religious undertones to this fighting, because of course in Iraq there are religious differences, ethnic differences, political differences, and we do everything… based on our differences. Because they read and watch,” Joteri said. But he added: “We all agree that this is a very important battle, a decisive battle, and we all know that.”
The discovery was part of a regional trend
Joteri said the team plans to begin excavations at the site next year.
The discovery was made as part of a broader project launched in 2015 to document the region’s endangered archaeological sites.
It also comes at a time when archeology is making a comeback in Iraq, a country often referred to as the “cradle of civilization,” but where decades of conflict have halted excavations and left tens of thousands of people looted. has hindered archaeological exploration. of artifacts.
In recent years, excavations have been returned and thousands of stolen artifacts repatriated.
