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Nineveh (Iraq)

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Assyrian Sculpture at Nineveh

Sculpture of the protective spirit, lahmu, guarding a door. Assyrian, about 700-692 B.C., from Nineveh, South-West Palace

J. D. Falk
Definition: Nineveh, capital city of the Assyrian empire, is located in the modern city of Mosul, Iraq. Occupied first in the 7th millennium BC, it became important to Mesopotamia when Sennacherib (704-681 BC) made it his capital. It was sacked by the Medes and Babylonians in 612 BC.

Lots of famous archaeologists have worked in Nineveh, including Austen Henry Layard, Hormuzd Rassam, George Smith, R. Campbell Thompson, Max Mallowan, and Emile Paul Botta. Most recently, Nineveh has been the focus of concern around the world because of its location in war-torn Iraq.

Source

Armstong, James A. 1996. Nineveh. In Brian M. Fagan (ed), Oxford Companion to Archaeology. Oxford University Press, New York.

This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology.
Also Known As: Ninua (Judeo-Christian bible), Kuyunjik (or Kouyunjik)

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