Seven ancient Parthian tombs unearthed in Iraq’s Kurdistan region

Archaeologists have unearthed seven tombs from the ancient Parthian Empire during a two-month excavation in Koy Sanjaq (Koya), located in Iraq's Kurdistan Region. The discoveries were made in the Khazna area, along the new Erbil-Koya road, between late April and late June.

One of the tombs yielded a significant find: a clay coffin containing a small, headless figurine of a pregnant woman. Alongside the figurine, excavators also discovered bracelets, earrings, and cosmetic items. These artifacts are now being stored at the antiquities and heritage directorate in Koya.

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One of the [tombs] contained a clay coffin with a small headless figurine of a pregnant woman.

The Parthian Empire, also known as the Arsacid Empire, was a major power in ancient Iran, flourishing between 247 BCE and 224 CE. At its peak, its territory extended from central-eastern Turkey to present-day Afghanistan and western Pakistan.

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Forty-five percent remains.

Since 2009, approximately 6,500 archaeological sites have been recorded in over half of the Kurdistan region, with assistance from foreign archaeological teams. However, identifying more sites is primarily delayed by political issues and the location of sites in border areas and disputed territories. The directorate utilizes advanced technology, including geographic information systems (GIS) and satellite imagery, to accurately identify sites.

Many foreign archaeological missions, typically numbering between 25 and 35 teams from countries like France, Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Japan, have been unable to return to the region in 2026 due to the war between Iran and the United States. The directorate aims to transform these archaeological sites into a source of tourism revenue through greater documentation and databases.

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We need to turn our archaeological sites into a source of tourism revenue.