Ancient tombs unearthed in Iraq at Mosul dam reservoir

Tombs were discovered following droughts in region

Bekas Brefkany, director of the Dohuk Antiquities Department, by a grave on the banks of Mosul Dam. All Photos: AFP

A Kurdish member of the Dohuk Antiquities Department works on a grave

Ancient graves unearthed by members of the Dohuk Antiquities Department on the banks of Mosul Dam

Kurdish members of the Dohuk Antiquities Department work on a grave on an archaeological site

Archaeologists in drought-hit Iraq have discovered 40 ancient tombs after water levels decreased

The tombs are believes to be more than 2,300 years old

The tombs were unearthed at the edges of the Mosul Dam reservoir in the Khanke region

Kurdish members of the Dohuk Antiquities Department work on a grave unearthed on the banks of Mosul Dam on an archaeological site in the Khanke sub-district of Dohuk Governorate on August 30, 2025. Archaeologists in drought-hit Iraq have discovered 40 ancient tombs after water levels in the country's largest reservoir decreased, local antiquities official said on August 30. The tombs, believed to be over 2,300 years old, were unearthed at the edges of the Mosul Dam reservoir in the Khanke region in the Dohuk province in the country's north. (Photo by Ismael ADNAN / AFP)

Further work is under way to excavate the tombs and transfer them to the Duhok Museum

This picture shows ancient graves unearthed by members of the Dohuk Antiquities Department on the banks of Mosul Dam on an archaeological site in the Khanke sub-district of Dohuk Governorate on August 30, 2025. Archaeologists in drought-hit Iraq have discovered 40 ancient tombs after water levels in the country's largest reservoir decreased, local antiquities official said on August 30. The tombs, believed to be over 2,300 years old, were unearthed at the edges of the Mosul Dam reservoir in the Khanke region in the Dohuk province in the country's north. (Photo by Ismael ADNAN / AFP)

Archaeologists have discovered 30 ancient tombs on the banks of Mosul dam in Iraq after water levels declined.

The tombs are believed to be more than 2,300 years old and were unearthed at the edges of the Mosul dam reservoir in the Khanke region of the Duhok province in the north of the country, reported the AFP news agency.

“So far, we have discovered approximately 40 tombs,” said Bekas Brefkany, the director of antiquities in Duhok, who is leading the archaeological work at the site.

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The dam, on the Tigris River about 50km from Mosul, provides power and water to many areas in Iraq's north. Over the past several years, droughts have enabled archaeologists to discover ruins dating back thousands of years in the same area.

“The droughts have a significant impact on many aspects like agriculture and electricity. But for us archaeologists … it allows us to do excavation work,” Mr Brefkany said. The newly discovered tombs are said to date back as far as the Hellenistic or Hellenistic-Seleucid period, according to Mr Brefkany.

Further work is under way to excavate the tombs and transfer them to the Duhok Museum for further study and preservation, before the area becomes submerged again.

Iraq is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and has been facing rising temperatures, chronic water shortages and year-on-year droughts. Temperatures have risen to 48°C in many areas of Iraq this summer, with some provinces registering higher than 50°C. Many residents are swimming in rivers and using water hoses to cool off.

Ancient graves unearthed by members of the Dohuk Antiquities Department on the banks of Mosul Dam. AFP

The latest heatwave this summer has highlighted Iraq’s vulnerability to climate change, with the UN ranking it the fifth most at risk from global warming. Iraq has endured its worst drought in decades and summer temperatures, particularly in July and August, often soar above 50°C.

Since it was built in 1980, the dam has required regular maintenance involving injections of cement on leaking areas, in a process called grouting. The dam was briefly seized by the extremist group ISIS in 2014, leading to a lapse in maintenance that weakened its already flawed structure.

Under a $300 million contract funded by the World Bank, an Italian company called Trevi carried out maintenance and repair works in 2016.