A fragment of an ancient stele dating to the reign of Assyrian King Ashurbanipal, approximately 2,600 years old, has been discovered at the Bab Shamash archaeological site in Iraq’s Nineveh province.
The find, announced in late June by the Nineveh Antiquities Inspectorate and Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, was unearthed by a joint Iraqi-American archaeological mission.
The stele fragment stands two meters high and 1.55 meters wide. Its front face bears a large, high-relief sculpture of Ashurbanipal, while the reverse side features two smaller reliefs of unnamed Assyrian kings alongside cuneiform inscriptions. Experts believe the text documents the king’s architectural projects and achievements in the ancient city of Nineveh and across the Assyrian Empire.
Nineveh served as the capital and largest city of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Ashurbanipal is historically renowned for constructing the Library of Ashurbanipal, which held over 100,000 texts—the largest collection of its kind until the Library of Alexandria was built centuries later. Over 30,000 cuneiform tablets from that library have survived, providing vital insights into ancient Mesopotamian life and culture.
The artifact has been transferred to the Inspectorate’s headquarters for initial restoration and detailed study. Ali Obaid Shalgham, president of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, stated the discovery “reflects the antiquity and civilizational depth of the city of Nineveh, as one of the most prominent historical centers in Iraq and the region.” He added that the find underscores the ongoing effort to uncover evidence documenting Mesopotamian civilization, reinforcing its global cultural standing.
Nineveh Antiquities and Heritage Inspector Ruwaid Muwaffaq emphasized that the stele highlights “the grandeur of Assyrian civilization and its urban development.” He described the monument as one of the most significant pieces of archaeological evidence commemorating Ashurbanipal’s reign. Muwaffaq noted the discovery sheds light on the cultural and architectural prosperity Nineveh experienced during the Assyrian era, reinforcing evidence that the city’s gates and historical sites contain royal monuments and major architectural achievements.