When we talk about the Kurdistan Region, we are not speaking of a mere geographical area, but rather of one of the oldest and most important cradle centers of civilization on Earth.
In Kurdistan, between the plains and mountains of this land, great civilizations met, and from here sparked the first spark of the Agricultural Revolution and the beginnings of human settlement and its first villages, before life developed and settled in southern Mesopotamia.
Kurdistan was, and remains in its historical depth, a major transit route for cultures, trade, and human migrations.
And archaeology today is no longer a mere hobby for digging up the earth and random excavation in search of gold and treasures as it was two centuries ago; rather, it has transformed into a rigorous field and laboratory science.
It intersects with geology, paleoclimatology, anthropology, chemical analysis, and radiocarbon dating techniques.
This scientific interplay is the only capable means of decoding the past and reading material discoveries and inscribed texts away from moodiness or superficial readings, to present us with the historical truth of human roots in their first environment.
And in the heart of this diverse geography, the Zagros Mountains and their caves stand as a living witness to this historical lineage, led by the Shanidar Cave in Erbil Governorate.
This cave did not only provide archaeologists with Neanderthal skeletons dating back tens of thousands of years, but it also revealed an early social and human consciousness.
Excavations have shown that those early humans used to care for their sick and disabled, and buried their dead with special rituals accompanied by flower wreaths; which led the American archaeologist Ralph Solecki to give them his famous appellation, “The First Flower People.”
These evidences are a symbolic and cultural extension linking the humans of this geography in the ancient past with its inhabitants today through inherited traditions and customs.
And the matter does not stop at the Stone Ages, for Kurdistan was the first stage for the emergence of agricultural villages and the domestication of animals and plants in the world.
Antiquities such as ancient textiles, bone tools, and fishing nets discovered in historic Kurdish villages confirm that this land was the pioneer in laying the first building blocks of human civilization and human settlement.
However, in front of this immense civilizational momentum, where the region includes more than 3,150 registered archaeological sites in Iraqi Kurdistan alone, we find ourselves before a great challenge, as what has been excavated so far constitutes only a very small percentage of the hidden treasures of this land.
And today, Kurdistan is witnessing wide excavation activity carried out by foreign missions from American, Italian, French, German, and Greek universities. Despite the importance of this international effort and its scientific credibility, leaving the excavation and analysis dossier heavily dependent on foreign vision alone remains a major shortfall affecting our identity and national security.
And precisely here lies the essence of the issue: why do we exclude Kurdish intellect and expertise from these missions?
Kurdish necessity dictates imposing the presence of Kurdish advisors and experts as essential partners within international teams. For the local expert possesses what foreign missions do not possess; he possesses a deep understanding of the environment, geography, and the cultural and social extension of inherited traditions.
The presence of the Kurdish advisor ensures linking antiquities to the national history of the Kurdish people through a solid scientific connection, and prevents any fragmented readings or biased interpretations that might obscure the truth of the historic Kurdish presence, in addition to directing digging operations toward strategic sites that serve our history.
Alongside that, this partnership is the only way to transfer modern technologies and academic expertise to our national universities and cadres, such as the Archaeology Department at Salahaddin University and the rest of the universities.
The archaeological landmarks in Kurdistan are the document of existence and the primary pillar for protecting national identity. Knowing this history and writing it with conclusive material evidence is the strongest weapon to block any attempts at marginalization or denial, and it is the highest means to present the grievances and civilization of the Kurdistani people before the international community in the language of science and proof.
The discovered civilizational data place before the wise leadership and decision-makers in the Kurdistan Region an opportune strategic opportunity to elevate the antiquities dossier to a primary position within the comprehensive national vision. Dealing with archaeological heritage as one of the pillars of national identity and national security represents an essential step toward consolidating the historical rights of the region, as investing in protecting collective memory and developing academic and museum institutions constitutes a promising bet on securing Kurdistan’s sustainable civilizational and cultural presence in international forums.
What is required today are brave practical steps, including imposing national scientific partnership in all international excavation contracts, allocating serious budgets to support local research and teams, establishing advanced national laboratories for dating and analysis inside the region instead of total reliance on Western laboratories, as well as developing museums and infrastructure so that Kurdistan becomes a destination for world scholars and the tourism of thought and civilization.
Investing in uncovering the secrets of our land and protecting its history is a genuine and direct investment in the future of identity, sovereignty, and the steadfast existence of the Kurdistani people on their historical land.
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
