Archaeologists identify centuries-old battle site in Iraq using declassified spy satellite images

By Jack Guy, CNN

(CNN) — Archaeologists have identified the site of an ancient battle in what is now Iraq by comparing historical accounts with declassified images from US spy satellites.

Researchers from Durham University in the United Kingdom and the University of Al-Qadisiyah in Iraq say they have found the site of the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, which took place in 636 or 637 AD, according to a statement published Monday.

Despite the fact that the battle marked a significant victory for Arab Muslims and enabled their expansion beyond Arabia, its precise location was not previously known.

William Deadman, a specialist in archaeological remote sensing at Durham University, told CNN that the discovery was part of a wider project aimed at mapping archaeological sites across the Middle East.

Initially, the team was mapping out the Darb Zubaydah pilgrimage route from Kufa in Iraq to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, using declassified spy satellite images from the 1970s and historical texts, when they realized they might also be able to use the same pieces of information to identify the site of the famous battle.

“I thought this is a good chance at having a crack at trying to find it,” Deadman said.

As a first step, he plotted a series of circles on the map using distances mentioned in the historical accounts, before taking a closer look at the areas where they overlapped on the satellite images.

Deadman told CNN he was “gobsmacked” to find a fort and double wall feature mentioned in the accounts.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said.

The team say the battle took place some 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Kufa in the Najaf Governorate, with Deadman’s analysis supported by on-the-ground investigations by researchers in Iraq.

The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah saw a smaller Arab Muslim army defeat a much larger force from the Sasanian Empire, which dominated the region.

After a few failed attempts, this was their “first really significant victory” in attempts to expand beyond Arabia, Deadman said.

“It was a pivotal moment in history,” he said.

The area is now farmland, Deadman explained. Much of the 6-mile (9.7-kilometer) wall has been destroyed or incorporated into agricultural boundaries, and the site of the ancient military outpost at al-’Udhayb appears to have been quarried, he added.

Next, the researchers plan to map what remains and carry out archaeological surveys, he added, although plans for a trip to the area have been put on hold due to tensions in the Middle East.

The research is published in the journal Antiquity.

Mustafa Baig, a lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter, who was not involved in the research, described the find as “very important.”

Baig told CNN that the Muslim army prevailed, despite being vastly outnumbered, thanks to a combination of bravery and brilliant strategy.

“The decisive battle heralded the end of the Sasanian Empire into the abyss and the expansion of Muslim territory into Mesopotamia, Persia and beyond,” he said.

“Today, tourists (religious or otherwise) will be keen to visit the actual site now that its precise location has been pinpointed.”

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