IS militants “bulldoze” ancient Iraq city 

Islamic State (IS) militants have bulldozed the ruins of the ancient  Assyrian city of Nimrud, one of Iraq’s renowned archaeological sites

NIMRUD HISTORY

1,250 BC: Nimrud, known byancient name of Kalhu, built byKing Shalmaneser I during Middle Assyrian Empire

875 BC: King Ashurnasirpal II makes Kalhu capital of Neo Assyrian Empire – world’s most powerful stateat that time. City had population of up to 100,000 people, and contained lush gardens and sprawling parks

612 BC: City largely abandonedafter Assyria’s destruction by Medes (Iranian people) and Babylonians

1840s: First major excavations by European archaeologists unearth range of treasures, including royal palaces, statues and smaller artifacts

20th century: Fresh excavations begin in 1949. Discovery of hundreds of treasure items in Nimrud’s royal tombs during late 1980s regarded as one of century’s most significant archaeological finds

Archaeological site
IRAQ
TURKEY
SYRIA

Tikrit
Samarra
Kirkuk
Irbil
Mosul
Nineveh
Tepe
Gawra
Tell Billa
Tell al-Rimah
Hatra
Ashur
Nimrud
River
Tigris
100km
60 miles

Detail area
IRAQ
SYRIA
Baghdad
300km
200 miles

Ashurnasirpal palace gate 

Many surviving monuments –including huge winged-bull statues known as lamassu –were removed years ago by archaeologists, but ruins of city remain. Extent of IS damage not known

Source: Wire agencies
Picture: Wikimedia Commons