(November 25th 2016) Archaeologists from University of Udine discovered in Iraqi Kurdistan,(Dohuk region) remains of a 20,000 years old dried up lake (late Pleistocene-early Holocene). The discovery was made during the annual research campaign of ” Land of Nineveh Regional Archaeological Project ” (PARTeN) as part of the Italian archaeological mission in Assyria (MAIA),started in 2012 and is directed by Daniele Morandi Bonacossi. PARTeN is run in cooperation with local authorities: archaeologists of Department of humanities and cultural heritage of the University of Udine collaborate in fact with the Directorate of Antiquities of Dohuk, directed by Hassan Ahmed Qasim. PARTEN is funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Education, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, University of Udine, Crup Foundation and Giorgiutti and Associates Firm. The project is also supported by Italian Embassy in Baghdad and Italian Consulate in Erbil. During last mission in the lands of the ancient Assyrian empire, which lasted two and a half months, 150 new archaeological sites (982 in 5 years of research, 12 those surveyed before the project) have been discovered, ranging from earliest prehistoric settlements (dated more than half a million years ago) to the more recent Ottoman villages (until 1900 AD). The mission also found three new mines for flint extraction, hundreds of proto-historic instruments (V and IV millennium BC) and dozens of caves, shelters and areas visited by prehistoric peoples of the region. One of the main objectives of the project is thestudy of Neo-Assyria (VIII-VII BC) monumental canals system through two new excavation surveys opened to University of Udine’s students and they have collected new clues to recognize the area where were fought the famous battle of Gaugamela (331 BC) between Alexander the Great and the Persian king Darius III in the plain in front of the archaeological site of Tell Gomel. Students from Udine, also restored two important neo Assyrian epoch (VIII-VII AC) rock reliefs, vandalized by numerous and invasive graffiti. From five years Udinese Expedition control a great region of about 3000 square km. This area Has Been granted to university of Udine in 2012 from Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Authorities and is one of the most wide concessions never assigned to a foreign mission in Iraq. (Red)
