A temple dating back to the fourth century was recently uncovered in Iraq. Archaeological discoveries are fascinating as it is, but this one is in a league of its own. This temple has been linked to two famous figures of the Western world and one of them is fictional. The structure of the temple, too, is quite unique. It is a twin temple. Meaning, one temple is built much later on top of an older one. Intrigued? Scroll down to read more about what archaeologists discover.
Archaeologists Discover 4th-BCE Temple In Iraq
The mystery surrounding a 4,000-year-old Iraqi temple has been solved as archaeologists uncover signs Alexander the Great was worshipped as a divine figure.
Greek inscriptions & artefacts at the Sumerian temple of Girsu – in modern-day town of Tello – suggest it may have been… pic.twitter.com/x885FlGTlU
— Mr Pål Christiansen (@TheNorskaPaul) December 4, 2023
The archaeologists who discovered the temple were associated with the British Museum located in London. They found the temple while excavating in Girsu, a Sumerian city known as Tello in southeastern Iraq. Known as The Girsu Project, the aim of the project is to gain insight into the history of this ancient city. The excavations in which the twin temples were discovered were done as part of this project.
The newer of the twin temples dates back to the fourth century BCE and was built in the Hellenistic era, according to an article which was recently published by WION. Remnants of the older temple were found in the exact spot as well. This older temple was also 1,500 years older than the newer one. The experts also suggest that the temple shows that ancient Babylonians had a vast knowledge of their history as the legacy of Sumerians was still very vibrant.
Here’s How the Temple Is Linked To Hercules And Alexander The Great
Alexander name found in Temple discovered in Iraq.
So Iraqi were worshipping Alexander just like Egyptian during his life time. pic.twitter.com/ThyFV7xIPH— Kiritin (@DasKrishnaka) December 7, 2023
As per experts, the older temple was dedicated to the Sumerian equivalent of the Greek god Hercules. Ninurta, who is also known as Ningirsu, is a Sumerian hero-deity who was worshipped at the time. A fired brick was found inside the temple which had a Greek and Aramaic inscription which made references to “the giver of two brothers.”
This reference is viewed as an allusion to Alexander the Great. The inscription referred to “adadnadinakhe” and it means “Adad, the giver of brothers.” The inscription appeared to be Zeus. In addition to the brick, a silver drachma, which is an ancient coin which was used as a currency in ancient Greece, was also discovered.
The silver coin, which was likely struck under the authority of Alexander the Great, had Hercules on one side. His appearance was strongly reminiscent of Alexander the Great. On the other side was Zeus again. He is viewed as the giver of brothers since it is believed that he proclaimed Alexander the Great as his son.
Also Read: From 3000-YO Pyramid To 2nd-Century Copper Coins; 7 New Archaeological Discoveries Made Recently
Do discoveries like these fascinate you? If possible, would you like to visit this temple in Iraq? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: @DasKrishnaka/X (Formerly, Twitter)
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