Kurdistan: Fortress of an Ancient Lost City Discovered

One was found by archaeologists fortress dating from 2000 years ago built on a mountain of Kurdistan Iraqi. It could belong to a ‘old lost city telephone call Natounia. The drones witnessed the discovery by taking photos. Archaeologists cataloged the site through a series of excavations between 2009 and 2022. This is the stone fortress of Rabana-Merquly, in the Zagros Mountains. It has 4 km long fortifications, two smaller settlements, carved rock reliefs and a religious complex.

At the time, the building stood on the border of a small kingdom called Adiabene. It was ruled by the rulers of a local dynasty. According to Michael Brown, a researcher at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, these kings would have paid tribute to the nearby Parthian Empire, which stretched across Iran and Mesopotamia 2,000 years ago.

He could be a king of great historical importance. The settlement is strategically located on the edge of the mountains, so it undoubtedly played an important role in controlling the surrounding lands. The considerable effort put into the planning, construction and maintenance of a fortress of this size indicates the presence of significant government activity. Natounia is really only known for its rare coins, there are no detailed historical references.

Michael Brown, archaeologist

The entrance of the fortress shows some engravings who represented the king of Adiabene based on the dress the sovereign wore, especially the hat. This sculpture is reminiscent of other depictions of the king of Adiabene, found in the ancient city of Hatra, 143 miles away. On the other hand, Brown believes that the fortress was the city of Natounia or Natounissarokerta, which was part of the kingdom of Adiabene.