Discovery at Erbil Castle: 4,000-Year-Old Ishtar Inscription

In the excavations at the historical Erbil Castle, fragments of cuneiform tablets estimated to date back to around 2,000 BCE were discovered. According to experts, this unique historical find marks the first success obtained since the beginning of the excavations.

Conducted in collaboration between the French Institute of the Near East and the Historical Monuments Department of Erbil Castle, the ongoing efforts have yielded numerous tablet fragments featuring cuneiform writing for the first time.

During the 45-day excavation season, tablet fragments with the inscription 'Great Goddess' were found. Experts suggest that if other pieces of the tablet, believed to belong to the 2nd millennium BCE, are discovered, it could reveal a new chapter in history.

Heja Zahir, Director of the Historical Monuments Department of Erbil Castle, stated in an interview with Rûdaw, 'The inscriptions on the tablet consist of a few words, notably mentioning 'Great Goddess.' By Great Goddess, reference is made to Ishtar, as Erbil Castle is known as the temple of Ishtar.'

The archaeological section of the castle's master plan identified seven areas for excavation, including the central part of the castle, and areas determined based on photographs from the 1930s. In one of the excavations, a depth of up to 4 meters was reached.

The discovered remains in some parts of the excavation are believed to date back to around 500 BCE and the Neo-Babylonian period.

Georges Maumaris from the French Institute of the Near East expressed, 'The most intriguing of our discoveries is this cuneiform writing. While Erbil has been frequently mentioned in previous discoveries in Mesopotamia, this is the first time such a piece has been found in Erbil Castle. The inscriptions on it indicate a history reaching back to around 2,000 BCE. This is the most significant piece we have found in the excavations initiated for this season. We now know that there is another wall within Erbil Castle. Currently, we are investigating the second layer of the wall surrounding Erbil Castle, which dates back to around 1,000 or 2,000 BCE.'

Omer Ahmed, a lecturer from Soran University and a member of the excavation team, suggested that based on satellite images, the area they excavated appears to be the ancient council within the castle.

Excavations at Erbil Castle began in 2015, and the current season's work has concluded. New excavations at the castle will commence in April 2024