The Rania Plain was the setting for one of the world's first archaeological salvage projects. Today, after decades of flooding, we continue the effort to document and rescue an irreplaceable heritage threatened by Lake Dokan.
Discover the ProjectThe Dokan Dam Salvage Project (1955–1959) was the first systematic attempt to rescue archaeological heritage threatened by dam construction in the Middle East.
Between 1955 and 1959, Iraqi archaeologists surveyed approximately 40 sites and conducted excavations at major tells including Basmusian, the largest site on the plain. A Danish expedition at Tell Shemshara (1957) discovered the famous Archive of Kuwari—some 250 cuneiform tablets from the 18th century BC.
When the Dokan Dam closed in 1959, a vast artificial lake began to form, permanently or seasonally flooding much of the Rania Plain. For over 50 years, political unrest prevented any return to the area. The sites were left to the mercy of the rising and falling waters.
Since 2012, new investigations have documented the devastating impact of decades of flooding. At Tell Shemshara alone, an estimated 30,000 cubic metres of archaeological deposits have been washed away. Our project now races to salvage what remains before it is lost forever.
