A prolonged drought in Iraq, the land of two rivers, has uncovered a remarkable and concerning discovery.
What’s happening?
According to Al Jazeera, water levels in Iraq’s largest reservoir dropped to their lowest this year, exposing previously hidden burial sites in the Khanke region of Duhok province.
“So far, we have discovered approximately 40 tombs,” said the director of antiquities in Duhok, Bekas Brefkany. He and his team are now working to excavate and preserve the artifacts before the area is submerged.
The tombs, near the Mosul Dam reservoir, are believed to be more than 2,300 years old, dating back to the Hellenistic period. While the find is a significant win for historical research, it underscores the severe and worsening droughts threatening communities across Iraq.
Iraq’s water crisis is severe; officials have warned that reserves have dwindled to just 8% of capacity, making this year one of the driest since 1933.
In addition to soaring temperatures and yearslong droughts, upstream dams in Iran and Turkey have significantly reduced the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that have sustained life in the Mesopotamia region for thousands of years.
Why is this discovery important?
While uncovering ancient history may be exciting for archaeologists, the drought driving these discoveries is devastating for millions in Iraq.
Rising global temperatures and shifting weather patterns are disrupting water cycles, causing rivers and reservoirs to vanish. This leads to agricultural losses, drinking water shortages, and an increased risk of wildfires, all symptoms of the same global climate trends.
With the Tigris and Euphrates at historically low levels and Iraq facing its worst water scarcity in living memory, its 46 million people face rising temperatures, water shortages, bacterial pollution, and more.
Experts emphasize that extreme weather events have always existed, but human-driven warming is intensifying them, making droughts and other disasters longer, hotter, and more destructive.
What’s being done about it?
Iraq is investing in water management and adaptation efforts, but experts say long-term solutions require global action to reduce planet-heating emissions.
Individuals can help by cutting reliance on fossil fuels, from driving less to improving energy efficiency at home, and by supporting policies that accelerate renewable energy adoption.
Communities worldwide are also investing in resilience. For example, vertical farming and water recycling technologies are helping reduce strain on traditional agricultural practices.
Though drought in Iraq has revealed a glimpse back in time, it has also urgently highlighted how important it is to protect the water sources the country’s people rely on.
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