College of Archaeology

On Thursday, July 13, 2023, the Department of Archeology at the College of Archeology at the University of Mosul discussed in the hall of Dr. Behnam Abu Al-Souf in the college the master’s thesis entitled (Heritage Buildings in the City of Zakho – A Field Study of Selected Samples), part of the viva was attended by Assistant Professor Dr. Yasmine Abdel Karim Muhammad Ali, Dean of the College and A number of college professors and students and those interested in this topic.

The study presented by the researcher (Mayada Nafi Zaki Al-Hasaniyani) on (Heritage Buildings in the City of Zakho – A Field Study of Selected Samples), as Zakho District is considered one of the distinguished districts in Iraq, as it is one of the most prominent urban centers in the Bahdinan region, and the existing archaeological sites indicate the presence of ancient civilizations. It had its importance in all ages, by virtue of its important strategic location on the Iraqi-Turkish-Syrian border triangle, and one of its cultural aspects was its heritage buildings which unfortunately were not given careful attention in the past decades, neither by the responsible authorities nor by specialists nor even the people of the region. Especially in reality, all heritage buildings were neglected, as they were devastated and affected by natural factors, causing many of their parts to disappear. The study aims to document buildings before they disappear which is something that cannot be achieved in the next few years especially in light of their neglect and society’s tendency toward modernity in architecture. The title of the study was chosen in order to document what remains of it. So, the basis of the study is on the field, and it is a stage that required great efforts and time, to conduct large-scale surveys within the ancient region, through which it reflects the image that it was in many decades ago. This material cultural heritage must be addressed with a specialized academic study that includes all its aspects, and the matter requires repeated visits, to closely inspect the buildings and record everything that can be observed, in addition to taking their measurements and photographing them from different angles. Then came the stage of projecting all the field study data, relying on the AutoCAD program, to create horizontal plans for the buildings, as well as vertical sections, and draw their facades. One of the sources of the study relied on personal interviews with some of those concerned with the city’s heritage affairs, not to mention the elderly, which had an impact in completing the sessions of its scientific subject.

The discussion committee was chaired by Assistant Professor Dr. Fian Muwaffaq Rasheed and the membership of Assistant Professor Dr. Najat Ali Muhammad / University of Baghdad / College of Islamic Sciences / Department of Islamic Civilization and Antiquities and the teacher Dr. Muhammad Muayyad Mal Allah / and under the supervision and membership of Assistant Professor Dr. Haitham Qasim Muhammad.