ERBIL
CIVILIZATION MUSEUM
![](622px-Erbil_Civilization_Museum,_Iraqi_Kurdistan.jpg)
Erbil
Civilization Museum
Established
: Mid-1960s
Location : Hawler, Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region,
Iraq
Type : Archaeological museum
Collections : It houses artifacts which date back to
the pre-historic period to the late Islamic period.
The
Erbil Civilization Museum is an archeological museum which is
located within the city of Hawler, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
It is the second largest museum in Iraqi Kurdistan, after the
Sulaymaniyah Museum in Sulaymaniyah Governorate in terms of contents
and collections. It houses artifacts which date back to the pre-historic
period to the late Abbasid period.
History
:
The very first building of the Museum was established in mid-1960
and contained few artifacts. The building was small and was located
within the heart of the city of Hawler, at the Minarah district.
The, then, Erbil Archaeological Inspection Directorate was responsible
for administering the museum. In the mid-1970s, the museum building
was relocated into the Citadel of Erbil. The museum was administered
by the General Directorate of Archaeology in Baghdad. After then,
many artifacts, from different ancient periods were transferred
from the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad to the museum as a permanent
loan. The content and collections of the museum grew tremendously.
Another project to establish a new building was started in 1985
to accommodate the increasing number of artifacts. The current
building was opened in 1989, after the end of the Iraq-Iran war
(1980-1988) and lies close to the ancient tell of Qalinj Agha.
After the invasion of Kuwait (by the Iraqi Army) in 1990, the
Kurdish uprising in 1991, and the internal Kurdish civil war in
the mid-1990s, many museum's archives were lost. Therefore, information
about many of the museum's acquisitions and artifacts are not
available.
Halls
:
The museum's building is relatively small and is divided into
3 displaying halls :
|
Particulars |
● |
The
first hall houses artifacts from the pre-historic
periods to the beginning of the 2nd Millennium BC.
Visitors will see artifacts from the Paleolithic
age, Jarmo, Halaf, Samara, Ubaid, Uruk, Eridu, Early
Dynastic, Akkadian, and Neo-Sumerian periods. Few
items date back to the Old-Babylonian period. |
● |
The
second hall displays items from the Urartian, Hurrian,
Assyrian (both Middle and Neo-Assyrian), Seleucid,
and Hatra periods. There are no artifacts from the
Neo-Babylonian period. |
● |
The
last hall contains artifacts from the Sassanid and
Islamic periods (mostly Abbasid). |
|
Opening Hours : The museum is open from Monday
to Thursday, 9;00 AM to 1:00 PM. It is closed on holidays. The
entrance is free.
Gallery
:
![](640px-One_of_the_halls_of_the_Erbil_Civilization_Museum,_displaying_Mesopotamian_artifacts_from_the_Paleolithic_period_to_the_beginning_of_the_2nd_Mille.jpg)
One
of the halls of the Erbil Civilization Museum, displaying Mesopotamian
artifacts from the Paleolithic period to the beginning of the
2nd Millennium BC
![](640px-One_of_the_halls_of_the_Erbil_Civilization_Museum_displaying_Mesopotamian_artifacts_from_the_Urartian,_Hurrian,_and_Hatra_periods.jpg)
One
of the halls of the Erbil Civilization Museum displaying artifacts
from the Urartian, Hurrian, Assyrian, and Hatra periods. Iraqi
Kurdistan
![](410px-Incense_burner._Hurrian_period,_1300-1000_BC._From_Tell_Basmosian,_Dukan,_Iraq._Erbil_Civilization_Museum.jpg)
Incense
burner. Hurrian period, 1300 - 1000 BC. From Tell Basmosian (also
Tell Bazmusian), modern-day Lake Dukan, Iraq. Erbil Civilization
Museum, Iraqi Kurdistan. A very similar (but not identical) incense
burner from the same area and period is on display at the Sulaymaniyah
Museum
![](616px-Temple_foundation_cone_of_Gudea,_ruler_of_Lagash._Ur_III_period._Erbil_Civilization_Museum.jpg)
Temple
foundation cone of Gudea, ruler of Lagash. Ur III period. From
southern Mesopotamia, in modern-day Iraq. Erbil Civilization Museum,
Iraqi Kurdistan
![](553px-Pottery_jar_from_Mesopotamia._Halaf_period,_4900-4300_BC._Erbil_Civilization_Museum.jpg)
Pottery
jar from Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq. Halaf period, 4900 - 4300
BC. Erbil Civilization Museum, Iraqi Kurdistan
![](640px-Door_socket_inscribed_with_the_name_of_Shu-Sin,_king_of_Ur,_Ur_III._From_Mesopotamia,_Erbil_Civilization_Museum.jpg)
Door
socket inscribed with the name of Shu-Sin, king of Ur, Ur III.
From Mesopotamia, Erbil Civilization Museum
![](640px-Sanatruq_I,_2nd_century_AD._From_Hatra._Erbil_Civilization_Museum,_Iraqi_Kurdistan.jpg)
Sanatruq
I, 2nd century AD. From Hatra. Erbil Civilization Museum, Iraqi
Kurdistan
![](539px-thumbnail.jpg)
Ivory
plaque from Nimrud. It depicts a standing and striding bull. From
Nimrud, Mesopotamia, Iraq. Neo Assyrian Period, 911 to 612 BCE.
Erbil Civilization Museum, Iraq
![](Easarhaddon_cylinder_from_fort_Shalmaneser_at_Nimrud._It_was_found_in_the_city_of_Nimrud_and_was_housed_in_the_Iraqi_Museum,_Baghdad._Erbil_Civilization.jpg)
Easarhaddon
cylinder from fort Shalmaneser at Nimrud. It was found in the
city of Nimrud and was housed in the Iraqi Museum, Baghdad. Erbil
Civilization Museum, Iraq
![](Topzawa_Stele_or_Topzawa_Rock._It_describes_Urartian_clashes_with_Assyrians._The_stele_belonged_to_the_kingdom_of_Musasir_at_Sidekan_village,_Erbil_Gove.jpg)
Topzawa
Stele or Topzawa Rock. It describes Urartian clashes with Assyrians.
The stele belonged to the kingdom of Musasir at Sidekan village,
Erbil Governorate, Iraq Erbil Civilization Museum, Iraqi Kurdistan
![](513px-thumbnail.jpg)
Sandstone
statue of a man or deity. The statue belonged to the Musasir Kingdom.
Urartian period, 1st millennium BCE. Precise provenance of excavation
is unknown. Erbil Civilization Museum, Iraqi Kurdistan
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Erbil_Civilization_Museum