2,700-year-old rock carvings discovered in Iraq’s Mosul

BAGHDAD (AP) — Archaeologists in northern Iraq have unearthed 2,700-year-old rock carvings featuring war scenes and trees, dating back to the Assyrian Empire. A team of experts in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, has been working to restore the site of the ancient Mashki Gate. The structure was bulldozed by Islamic State group militants in 2016. Head of the restoration project said on Wednesday that his team was surprised to discover eight murals with inscriptions, decorative drawings and writings. The territory of present-day Iraq was home to some of the earliest cities in the world. Thousands of archaeological sites are scattered across the country, where Sumerians, Babylonian and Assyrian once lived.