Archaeologists have unearthed various ancient artifacts among the ruins of the ancient city of Nimrud, which was looted by ISIS. Among the new are the remains of a 3,000-year-old temple dedicated to Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, with the oldest written records.

The ancient city of Nimrud is located on the territory of modern Iraq, about 30 kilometers south of the city of Mosul. Located on the banks of the Tigris River, the settlement turned into a flourishing Assyrian city between 1350 BC. and 610 BC

In June 2014, ISIS captured Mosul and expanded its influence to the surrounding areas. ISIS plans to systematically destroy the site of Nemrut with sledgehammers, bombs and backhoes as part of its efforts to rid the region of non-Islamic culture.

This reign of terror is thankfully over, and archaeologists have recently been able to return to Nimrud.

Earlier this year, archaeologists from the Iraqi State Council for Antiquities and Heritage and the University of Pennsylvania resumed their work on the Temple of Ishtar, which burned down during the sacking of Nimrud by an invading army in 612 BC.

Most notable among his finds were fragments of a large stone monument depicting the goddess Ishtar as a symbol of a star.

“Our biggest find this season was part of an impressive stone stele depicting the goddess Ishtar in the symbol of a star. Program director Michael Danti said, “This is the divinity of the goddess Ishtar Sharrat-nifi, the goddess associated with the rising planet Venus, the ‘morning star’. It is the first definitive depiction found in this temple dedicated to him,” said archaeologists from the Iraq Heritage Stabilization Program and the University of Pennsylvania.

During previous excavations at Nimrud, the same team uncovered a 2,800-year-old palace belonging to the Assyrian king Adad-Nirari III, who ruled from 810 to 783 BC. They also found monumental stone tablets with cuneiform writing, an ancient writing system that was widely used in the Middle East in the early Bronze Age.

Many new discoveries this season highlight the wealth of ancient Nimrud and the reign of Adad-Nirari III. Archaeologists have identified two massive stone column bases that show the palace was splendidly decorated with exquisitely carved pillars. Evidence of a large stone pool was found in the throne room, which researchers believe may have served as the central heating system.

Additionally, they found pieces of ivory and ostrich egg shells, rare materials that could have been quite valuable in the Early Bronze Age.

Such invaluable information came very close to being erased from history at the hands of ISIS. Fortunately, thanks to the hard work of archaeologists and researchers, invaluable stories of the city are still preserved.