BEIRUT (AP) — Declassified U.S. spy satellite images from the 1970s show British and Iraqi archaeological teams that the seventh-century battle was decisive in the spread of Islam throughout the region. were led to what they believed to be the location of.
The Battle of Al-Qadisiya was fought in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) in the 630s AD, during a period of Muslim expansion, between Arab Muslims and the armies of the Sassanid Persian dynasty. The Arab armies were victorious and continued their march into Persia, modern-day Iran.
Dr. Ja’far Al Joteri explores the site of the Battle of Al Qadisiya with satellite images in hand. This battle was fought in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) in the 630s AD, during the Islamic era, between Arab Muslims and the forces of the Sassanid Persian dynasty. expansion. Abu Sakhir District – Southern Najaf, Iraq, Sunday, November 10, 2024 (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
A joint team of archaeologists from Durham University and Al-Qadisiyah University in the UK used remote sensing to map the Darb Zubaydah, a pilgrimage route from Kufa, Iraq, to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, built more than 1,000 years ago. I discovered this ruin by chance while conducting a survey. . The findings were published Tuesday in the journal Antiquity.
While mapping the route, the team found depictions of the battle of al-Qadisiya in a desert area dotted with farmland, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Kufa in Iraq’s southern Najaf province. I noticed that there were some characteristics that matched well. A place mentioned in historical documents.
William Dedman, an expert in archaeological remote sensing at Durham University, said Cold War-era satellite imagery was a common tool used by archaeologists working in the Middle East, adding that some old images had been destroyed or altered. This is because features that are often not displayed are often shown. Upload the current satellite image.
“The Middle East has developed significantly over the past 50 years, both in agricultural expansion and urban expansion,” he said. Some of the striking features of al-Qadisiyah, such as the distinctive grooves, were “much more primitive and clear” in images from the 1970s, he said.
A ground survey confirmed the results and the team was confident they had accurately located the site.
Key features include a deep ditch, two forts and an ancient river said to have once been crossed by Persian troops on elephants, said Al-Qadisiya University archeology professor and member of the site’s creation team. said Jaafar Joteri, a member of the group. discovery. The team also found pottery shards consistent with the era of the battle.
Joteri said all Iraqis of his generation who grew up under Saddam Hussein’s rule knew the battle in great detail, down to the names of the generals on both sides.
A desert area dotted with farmland whose characteristics closely match the description of the al-Qadisiya battle site described in historical documents. The Arab armies won this battle and continued their march into Persia, modern-day Iran. Abu Sakhir District – Southern Najaf, Iraq, Sunday, November 10, 2024 (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
The fighting at the time had political overtones, with Iraq engaged in a devastating war with Iran throughout much of the 1980s. Saddam pointed to the battle of Qadisiya as a harbinger of Iraq’s victory.
Like most children growing up in that era, Joteri said she watched the popular movie depicting the battle over and over again because it was shown regularly on television.
In the post-Saddam era, al-Qadisiyya has become something of a political litmus test. Iraqis’ views on the battle vary depending on their feelings toward Iran, which has expanded its influence in the country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam’s regime.
“There are some political and religious undertones to this fighting, because of course there are religious differences, ethnic differences, political differences in Iraq, and we read everything… in terms of difference. Because they are watching it,” Joteri said. But he added: “We all agree that this is a very important battle, a decisive battle, and we all know that.”
A desert area dotted with farmland whose characteristics closely match the description of the al-Qadisiya battle site described in historical documents. The Arab armies won this battle and continued their march into Persia, modern-day Iran. Abu Sakhir District – Southern Najaf, Iraq, Sunday, November 10, 2024 (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Joteri said the team plans to begin excavations at the site next year.
The discovery was made as part of a broader project launched in 2015 to document the region’s endangered archaeological sites.
It also comes at a time when archeology is making a comeback in Iraq, a country often referred to as the “cradle of civilization,” but where decades of conflict have halted excavations and left tens of thousands of people looted. Archaeological exploration was at a standstill. of artifacts.
In recent years, excavations have been returned and thousands of stolen artifacts repatriated.
