Archaeologists from Durham University, in collaboration with researchers from Al-Qadisiyah University in Iraq, have made a stunning discovery that reveals the existence of a lost battle from 1500 years ago. This finding was made possible through the use of declassified documents collected by the United States Government in the 1970s.
The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, which took place around the year 636 AD, turned out to be a crucial moment for Arab Muslims in their territorial expansion beyond Arabia. The archaeologists were able to determine that the site of the war was located about 30 kilometers south of the city of Kufa, in the Najaf governorate.
The discovery provided geographical information and historical context about one of the fundamental battles in the expansion of Islam through Iraq, Iran, and beyond. This finding was part of the Threatened Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) program, which aims to protect historical sites that may have deteriorated due to hostile climatic conditions or local conflicts.
The use of declassified satellite imagery allowed archaeologists to identify structures and constructions such as walls and settlements along the ancient pilgrimage route known as the Darb Zubaydah, confirming the location of the battle site. Through comparison with new remote sensing photographs and historical writings from the period, this event that had remained hidden for centuries was reconstructed.
Wars are influential and destructive facts in the history of the communities involved, so it is surprising that the existence of a battle remained unknown for so long. This discovery emphasizes the importance of archaeology in uncovering the historical events that shaped the world we know today.
