Christians of Iraq trace their ancestry to the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations. Although Nineveh was destroyed in 612 B.C. but it was resettled. The towns and villages in the Plain of Nineveh became important centers of Christianity.

 

Soldiers Helping Restore Cultural Treasures in Nineveh

MOSUL, Iraq -- Two major historic sites in Mosul dating back to the 8th century B.C. are being restored with help from the 416th
Civil Affairs Battalion.

Maj. Wayne Bowen, head of the 416th?s Higher Education and Antiquities Team, is working with Ninevah Director of Antiquities, Muzahim Mahmood, to facilitate restoration projects at the Nergal Gate and King Sennacheribe?s palace.

"The Nergal Gate is just one of 15 gates that surrounded the ancient Assyrian capitol of Ninevah, but we decided to focus on this one first because it was in the best condition," Bowen explained.

The $22,000 project, funded by the Commander's Emergency Response Program, includes repaving the ramp leading up to the gate using the authentic Assyrian cobblestone pattern, renovating the gate itself to provide museum displays in both wings and building roofs to protect the various statues and reliefs on the site.

Because most of the structure is still intact and there was historic documentation preserved over the years, the gate will soon look much as it did in ancient times.

?There are reliefs that show the gate at that time so they can fairly accurately recreate the site,? said Bowen.

The second project involves restoring the site of King Sennacheribe's palace, which is strategically located high on a hill overlooking the Tigris River and was the seat of government in Ninevah during his reign in the early 8th century B.C.

According to Bowen, the site had remained relatively unchanged for nearly 3,000 years, but in April of 2003 it was extensively looted and damaged.

"It's heartbreaking to see this palace," Bowen said," but the multinational forces are committed to working with the Iraqi
government to restore the site and recover the artifacts that were stolen."

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had already certified the site as a cultural treasure prior to the war, and preliminary work such as building roofs over the reliefs and erecting a temporary fence has already been completed by UNESCO archaeologists. Security guards were also added for the first time in history.

The 416th is working with UNESCO to complete the second phase of the project, which will provide additional security with an improved fence and lighting, improve the road for better access and remove a large oil tank that was installed on the property during the Second World War.

Bowen hopes that once the site is restored and protected it will again be an important site for tourism, along with the renovated Nergal Gate.

"They are a part of the cultural heritage of Iraq and they belong to the people of Iraq, but they are also an essential part of the history of mankind," he said. "So much of what we know about the beginnings of civilization, culture and technology came directly from this region of the world."