Decoding the mystery of the newly revealed 5,000-year-old worship structure

An ancient structure has been discovered in Iraq, surprising archaeologists. Many traces suggest that this could have been a sacred ritual space for ancient residents.

During excavations at the Kani Shaie archaeological site in northern Sulaymaniyah Province, at the foot of the Zagros Mountains in Iraq, archaeologists have found the remains of a 5,000-year-old building that may have been a temple from the Uruk period, when the world's first cities were developing. Photo: University of Coimbra.

“If the monumental nature of this building is confirmed – which we are currently investigating in detail – this discovery could change our understanding of the relationship between Uruk and its surrounding areas,” the team said. Photo: University of Coimbra.

According to dating results, experts say the structure dates from around 3300 BC to 3100 BC during the Uruk period, named after Uruk in southern Mesopotamia. Photo: University of Coimbra.

In his work "Early History of the Ancient Near East", German archaeologist Hans Nissen writes that Uruk was an ancient city that once housed up to 80,000 people spread over an area of ​​up to 400 hectares. Photo: University of Coimbra.

The city of Uruk has streets and areas divided in a grid pattern for different functions, such as administrative and residential areas. Photo: University of Coimbra.

The newly unearthed ancient structure is located at the top of a mound at Kani Shaie. The architectural style of the structure suggests it was some kind of official building and possibly a “worship space” or temple, said the excavation leaders. Photo: OGL.

The researchers also found fragments of a gold pendant that may have reflected the social “display” of wealth within the community. They also discovered a “cylindrical seal” from the Uruk period, which is associated with political and administrative power. Photo: archaiacreations.

Kani Shaie is located nearly 480 km north of Uruk. The new discovery shows that this place was not a suburb during the Uruk period, as archaeologists had previously speculated. Photo: wikimedia commons.

Instead, the settlement appears to have been part of a larger cultural and political network that stretched across ancient Mesopotamia. Photo: wikimedia commons.

Readers are invited to watch the video: Revealing lost civilizations through archaeological remains.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/giai-ma-bi-an-cong-trinh-tho-cung-5000-nam-tuoi-moi-lo-dien-post2149066631.html