by Worthy News Staff
(Worthy News) – German archaeologists from Heidelberg University have made a landmark discovery in Iraq that is reshaping our understanding of the ancient Assyrian Empire. While excavating the ruins of Nineveh—once the empire’s capital and famously the setting of the biblical story of Jonah—a team uncovered a monumental relief depicting King Assurbanipal flanked by the major deities Assur and Ištar.
The massive stone slab, measuring over five meters long and three meters high, was found buried in the throne room of the North Palace. Estimated to weigh 12 tonnes, the relief is believed to date back to the 7th century BC, during Assurbanipal’s reign (668–627 BC).
“This is a truly exceptional find,” said Professor Dr. Aaron Schmitt, who leads the Heidelberg excavation team. “Among all known Assyrian palace reliefs, this is the first to feature the great deities of the Assyrian pantheon in such monumental form.”
The scene shows Assurbanipal at its center, flanked by Assur—the chief god of the Assyrian empire—and Ištar, the city goddess of Nineveh. They are accompanied by mythical figures, including a fish-clad genius and what is believed to be a scorpion man, suggesting a winged sun disc once hovered above the entire tableau—a powerful symbol of divine favor and royal legitimacy.
The relief once stood in a niche directly opposite the throne room’s main entrance, a location emphasizing its ceremonial and political importance. Remarkably, the fragments were found buried in a pit likely created during the Hellenistic period, possibly explaining why they were missed by 19th-century British archaeologists who uncovered other sections of Nineveh now housed in the British Museum.
Nineveh is also well known for its prominent role in the Bible. According to the Book of Jonah, the prophet was sent by God to call the city to repentance—a mission that led to one of the Bible’s most dramatic stories, including Jonah’s time in the belly of a great fish. The city’s dramatic turn from wickedness to repentance is a cornerstone of the biblical narrative, underscoring Nineveh’s historical and spiritual weight across cultures.
“Nineveh has always held a powerful place in both biblical history and Mesopotamian archaeology,” Schmitt told EuroNews. “This discovery brings those ancient stories—and gods—tangibly back into view.”
Excavations are part of the Heidelberg Nineveh Project, launched in 2018 under Professor Stefan Maul. Since 2022, Schmitt’s team has been working on Kuyunjik Hill, the site of the North Palace. In collaboration with Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH), the team hopes to restore and reinstall the relief in its original location, making it accessible to the public.
As researchers continue to analyze the fragments and prepare for publication, the ancient city once warned by Jonah and ruled by kings now speaks again—this time through stone.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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