Ancient plant DNA extracted from a humble mud brick is giving researchers an unprecedented glimpse into the landscape of ancient Mesopotamia.
The brick was excavated at Nimrud in northern Iraq and bears an Akkadian inscription identifying it as part of the grand palace of Ashurnasirpal II, who ruled from 883 to 859 B.C. By analyzing genetic material preserved within the brick, scientists are reconstructing the plant life that once flourished along the Tigris River during the Neo-Assyrian period.
This breakthrough offers rare environmental insight into the world of a powerful empire, revealing how royal architecture, river ecosystems, and agriculture were closely intertwined under Neo-Assyrian Empire rule.
The brick was excavated at Nimrud in northern Iraq and bears an Akkadian inscription identifying it as part of the grand palace of Ashurnasirpal II, who ruled from 883 to 859 B.C. By analyzing genetic material preserved within the brick, scientists are reconstructing the plant life that once flourished along the Tigris River during the Neo-Assyrian period.
This breakthrough offers rare environmental insight into the world of a powerful empire, revealing how royal architecture, river ecosystems, and agriculture were closely intertwined under Neo-Assyrian Empire rule.