Photo Story: What Ancient Secrets Lie Beneath This Little-known Assyrian Mound?

This oval-shaped mound is thought to be one of the oldest archaeological sites in ʿAnkāwā. Situated about 6 km from the majestic citadel at Arbelā (modern-day Erbil, Iraq), this ancient wonder— with a perimeter of 186.75 m —is surrounded by modern development.

Commonly known as Tell Qasrā “castle mound”, it wasn’t until 1945 that this site was surveyed by a team of archaeologists and soon after registered by the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH). Following a comprehensive study, Tell Qasrā was found to have developed as a result of several occupation layers, the last of which was dated to the Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods (c. 1365–609 BCE).

Excavations at Tell Qasrā during the mid nineteenth century have revealed various artefacts such as fragments of clay jar sherds, vessels, lamps, as well as incense burners featuring decorative motifs similar to those found at other Assyrian archaeological sites. Experts have proposed that this site may have anciently functioned as the official residence of a local Assyrian governor.

Like many other sites in the region during the early Christian period, Tell Qasrā experienced a process of adaptive reuse where it was incorporated as part of a church complex and served as a cemetery for the local Indigenous Assyrian population. With the adoption of Christianity, churches and monasteries progressively became the prominent features of Assyria’s urban landscape.

Today, Tell Qasrā is situated across two major landmarks in ʿAnkāwā, the Church of Mār Gīwārgīs (St. George) and the Syriac Heritage Museum. It should be noted that the street separating this archaeological mound and the church is of recent origin.