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What did Austen Henry Layard discover at Nineveh between 1845 and 1851?
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Nineveh
The partially reconstructed Nergal Gate in Nineveh, Iraq.
Between 1845 and 1851, the archaeologist Austen Henry Layard conducted significant excavations at the site of Nineveh. His primary discoveries included:
- The Palace of Sennacherib: Layard uncovered the remains of this major royal residence on the eastern bank of the Tigris River.12
- The Library of Ashurbanipal: He recovered thousands of cuneiform tablets from the state archives of Ashurbanipal, which provided foundational knowledge regarding Assyrian and Babylonian history and culture.12
- Artworks and Reliefs: He unearthed an extensive collection of stone bas-reliefs and other extraordinary artworks, which were subsequently transported to the British Museum.12
It is important to note that during this same period, Layard also excavated at Nimrud, which he initially mistook for Nineveh. At that site, he discovered palaces of 9th- and 7th-century BCE kings and notable artifacts, such as sculptures from the reign of Ashurnasirpal II.2