In 2018, Dr. Tobin Hartnell, Director of AUIS CACHE, received permission from Dr. Qaiss Rashid, the director of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) to conduct surface survey and ceramic collections at the World Heritage Site of Ashur. The site was attacked by ISIS in May 2015, and it is suspected that there are still Explosive Hazards (EHs) and Explosive Remnants of War (ERWs) at the site and in its immediate environs. In February, the Australian Embassy provided a small grant to AUIS CACHE to fund its first season of work at the site. The first season will collect aerial photography in order to assess any recent damage or looting, and conduct an up-to-date on-the-ground assessment of the various monuments at the site. We will report back on our initial results in the coming months.
Thank you to the Australian Embassy of Iraq for supporting this project.
