The Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, stated last Friday that “excavation teams have discovered this bull which holds great archaeological and historical value.” He noted that the excavations indicated the existence of smaller versions and identified the area of the throne room, which holds significant importance in the history of the Assyrian state. He added that the royal palace includes adjoining halls leading to the throne room, with two versions of the winged bull at each gate of the palace, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Meanwhile, the Director of the Inspection Department of Antiquities and Heritage of Nineveh, Ruwad Muwaffaq, mentioned that “one of the bulls was found in the 1990s on the left side of the palace, while current excavations revealed the second winged bull, enhancing the site’s touristic and archaeological status.” He pointed out that the Iraqi Antiquities Authority is working in collaboration with Heidelberg University in Germany and the Ministry of Culture to invest in the site and establish a museum for visitors, linking Assyrian antiquities with Islamic heritage at the Mosque of Prophet Yunus, with plans to be announced soon.
Furthermore, Peter Nicholas, an archaeology expert from Heidelberg University, noted that “excavation teams discovered many clay tablets inscribed with the names of kings Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, and Ashurbanipal, in addition to small artifacts representing spoils of war seized by the Assyrians from Egypt and the Levant.”
