The ancient Ziggurat of Ur in Dhi Qar Province, one of the most prominent architectural landmarks of Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia. Photo Credit: Amjedha95 – Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Four French missions begin excavations at different archaeological locations, while 11 international missions have agreements to conduct archaeological work in the province, one of Iraq’s richest historical regions.

Dhi Qar – Ishtar TV

Iraq’s Dhi Qar province continues to attract foreign archaeological missions as the new excavation season gets underway, with ten international teams participating in archaeological projects at several sites, seeking to uncover further evidence of ancient Mesopotamian civilizations and document the history of Sumerian and Babylonian cities.

Shamil Ibrahim Al-Rumaidh, Director of Antiquities and Heritage in Dhi Qar, told Shafaq News in a report published on October 10, 2026, that ten foreign archaeological missions are participating in the current season, including four French teams scheduled to work at different sites during October.

Four French Missions Working at Different Archaeological Sites

Al-Rumaidh explained that the first French mission, led by Philippe Quenet, had begun excavations at Tell Mazid.

A second mission, headed by Regis Vallet, was expected to arrive to conduct excavations at the ancient city of Larsa.

A third French team, led by Johnny Samuele Baldi, is scheduled to work at the Al-Uwayli archaeological site, while a fourth mission, headed by Sidonie Preiss, will conduct excavations at Tell Umm Al-Ajaj.

These projects form part of an international archaeological season focusing on important historical sites, some of which date back to the earliest periods of Sumerian civilization and Mesopotamian history.

Eleven Missions Under Archaeological Agreements

In a report published on October 13, 2026, Al-Mada newspaper said that Dhi Qar’s Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate had scheduled the arrival of six international missions during October and early November, out of 11 missions previously contracted to work in the province.

The international teams include French, British, Italian, Russian, American, Slovak, Swiss and Australian missions. Their work covers archaeological locations including Eridu, Girsu, Lagash, Larsa, Tell Zergul, Tell Abu Tbeira and Tell Bazikh.

Discoveries Spanning Thousands of Years

Previous archaeological excavations in Dhi Qar have yielded significant discoveries, including a temple dedicated to a deity at Girsu, a 5,000-year-old restaurant and tavern at Lagash, and important archaeological remains at Ur, Eridu and Larsa.

In October 2026, a joint Iraqi-French archaeological mission also announced the discovery of three archaeological mounds and an ancient course of the Euphrates River in the Al-Sulaibiyat area, alongside a structure believed to have served as an ancient ship anchorage or harbor.

Artifacts recovered from the area indicate continuous human settlement dating from the sixth millennium BC through several subsequent historical periods, including the Early Dynastic, Ur III, Old Babylonian, Kassite and Neo-Babylonian periods.

Dhi Qar: An Open-Air Museum of Mesopotamian Civilizations

Dhi Qar is home to approximately 1,200 archaeological sites, including ancient cities and settlements associated with Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian civilizations, as well as later historical periods.

Among its most prominent archaeological landmarks are the ancient city of Ur and its famous ziggurat, Eridu, Lagash, Girsu and Larsa. These sites provide important evidence of the development of urban life, administration, economic activity and religious traditions in ancient Mesopotamia.

The continued arrival of international archaeological missions reflects growing scientific interest in the province’s heritage and highlights the importance of further excavation, surveying, documentation and conservation work in cooperation with Iraqi archaeological specialists.

Such efforts are essential to preserving this extraordinary historical legacy and making it accessible to future generations.