Archaeology authorities in Duhok province, within Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, previously announced the discovery of a historic site in the Tigris River basin, revealed after the river’s waters receded dramatically. The site includes a palace, several buildings, and a stone wall — all uncovered as Iraq grapples with severe drought.
Iraq today faces an unprecedented water crisis, made worse by Iran’s construction of several dams that redirect tributaries feeding the Tigris River, along with extensive Turkish dam projects. Combined with scarce rainfall, this has led to the drying up of lakes and a dramatic drop in the water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers — both central to the region’s life since ancient times.
Bex Breefkani, Director of Duhok’s Antiquities Department, said, “A joint team of archaeologists from Kurdistan and Germany discovered a vast ancient city dating back to the Mitanni Empire (around 1400 BCE) inside the Tigris basin.”
Speaking to reporters, Breefkani added, “Iraq’s drought led to the drop in water levels at the Mosul Dam reservoir, which allowed the city to be uncovered.”
He suggested the site could be the same city known as Zakhiku in Babylonian texts, featuring a palace, multiple buildings and chambers, and a massive wall. The team is now studying the cuneiform tablets found on-site to confirm their identity.
“Findings also show it was a major cultural centre for the Mitanni Empire between 1550 and 1350 BCE,” he said.
Iraqi archaeological expert Ali Al-Hamdani told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the site had been detected years ago in the Tigris riverbed but remained submerged due to high water levels. Excavations were impossible until now. Al-Hamdani added that reports from local explorers had long confirmed submerged ruins in this area.
He emphasised, “It is vital to take advantage of this unfortunate water shortage to study the site and recover important artefacts before the Tigris floods it again — especially with the snowmelt expected to raise river levels in Turkey this July.”
A Prophetic Parallel: Receding Euphrates Waters and a Sign of the Hour
This modern discovery echoes ongoing debates among Muslims worldwide about a well-known Prophetic narration: the hadiths about the Euphrates River — the largest river in Syria — drying up as a sign of the Last Hour.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ foretold that among the signs of the Hour is that the Euphrates will recede, uncovering a mountain of gold. People will fight over it, and many will be killed. In Sahih Muslim, Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The Hour will not come until the Euphrates uncovers a mountain of gold. People will fight over it. Out of every hundred, ninety-nine will be killed, and each man among them will say: ‘Perhaps I may be the one who survives.’”
Imam Al-Bukhari also narrated:
“The Euphrates is soon to uncover a mountain of gold, so whoever is present there should not take anything from it.”
Ibn Hajar, the renowned scholar, explained that this ‘treasure’ is called a ‘mountain of gold’ to indicate its vastness and preciousness, while the ‘fighting’ described will occur among people themselves — many scholars interpret this to mean that a severe conflict will arise over worldly wealth when this sign appears.
Is This Prophecy About Oil?
Some modern interpretations suggest the “mountain of gold” could be oil. However, scholars such as Abu Ubayya, in his commentary on Al-Nihaya fi Al-Fitan by Ibn Kathir, refuted this view. He argued:
- The text explicitly mentions “a mountain of gold,” not oil — the gold here is the known precious metal.
- The Prophet ﷺ said the river’s water will physically recede to expose the mountain — unlike oil, which is extracted by machinery from deep underground.
- The hadith specifically mentions the Euphrates, not other rivers or seas, though oil is found worldwide.
- There has been no mass fighting directly at the Euphrates over oil that matches this description. The Prophet ﷺ also warned people present at that time not to take anything from it due to the trials it will bring.
Abu Ubayya quotes from another narration: “The people will keep stretching their necks out for worldly gain… I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘The Euphrates is soon to uncover a mountain of gold; whoever is there should not take anything from it.’” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Faith, Signs, and Reflection
While the recent archaeological finds at the Tigris relate to ancient civilisations and are a stark reminder of environmental challenges, many Muslims see these events as a moment to reflect on Prophetic signs and the changing conditions in the region. The drying rivers, whether the Tigris or the Euphrates, remind believers of the fragility of human plans and the enduring truth of the Messenger’s ﷺ words — calling people to humility, caution, and deeper faith.
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