1 00:00:03,267 --> 00:00:04,833 [narrator] Deep In the iraqi desert, 2 00:00:06,067 --> 00:00:08,633 Investigators unearth An ancient city Like no other: 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:11,533 Nippur. 4 00:00:16,367 --> 00:00:18,733 Five thousand years ago, This is the center of worship 5 00:00:19,833 --> 00:00:21,633 For half a million people Across mesopotamia. 6 00:00:25,133 --> 00:00:28,767 It's the ancient equivalent Of mecca, jerusalem Or rome. 7 00:00:30,967 --> 00:00:34,800 [narrator] A city-state ruled Not by a mortal, But by a deity. 8 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,600 [abbas al-husseini speaking] 9 00:00:41,967 --> 00:00:43,767 [narrator] Today, Investigators have rare access 10 00:00:44,933 --> 00:00:47,633 To use pioneering technology To unlock its secrets. 11 00:00:50,167 --> 00:00:52,500 Why do gods and warring kings Covet this city? 12 00:00:53,433 --> 00:00:53,900 [george heath-whyte] Nippur was unique. 13 00:00:54,933 --> 00:00:56,333 It was never destroyed By any invading people. 14 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:00,067 [narrator] To solve This mystery, 15 00:01:01,900 --> 00:01:04,700 We digitally reconstruct A lost world hidden By the desert. 16 00:01:06,233 --> 00:01:08,133 We rebuild A spectacular ziggurat, 17 00:01:09,867 --> 00:01:12,067 Uncover a temple Devoted to a goddess of love, 18 00:01:13,767 --> 00:01:15,833 And evidence Of a mysterious fortress... 19 00:01:18,967 --> 00:01:21,200 To unearth the surprising Secrets of this, 20 00:01:22,133 --> 00:01:24,300 The most sacred city In mesopotamia. 21 00:01:35,867 --> 00:01:37,967 [narrator] Nippur, iraq, 22 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:40,800 100 miles South east of baghdad. 23 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:44,700 Ruins tower above The hot desert landscape. 24 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,433 Nippur is one of the richest Archaeological sites on earth. 25 00:01:54,467 --> 00:01:56,367 It lies in the center Of a war-torn country. 26 00:01:58,067 --> 00:02:01,333 Decades of conflict have Prevented experts from Fully exploring its story. 27 00:02:02,133 --> 00:02:03,233 Until now. 28 00:02:03,833 --> 00:02:05,700 [al-husseini speaking] 29 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:14,933 [narrator] Today, It is crumbling, And buried in sand. 30 00:02:16,933 --> 00:02:20,233 But thousands of years ago, Nippur is a jewel In the desert, 31 00:02:20,933 --> 00:02:22,733 With a mystery at its heart. 32 00:02:27,067 --> 00:02:30,767 In its prime, the city Spreads across 370 acres, 33 00:02:32,067 --> 00:02:34,767 And is home To an estimated 40,000 people. 34 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:39,067 A large moat And 45-foot-thick walls, 35 00:02:40,267 --> 00:02:43,233 With seven mighty gates, Run two miles around the city. 36 00:02:45,867 --> 00:02:48,967 A waterway, half a mile long, Divides the ancient city In two. 37 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:53,733 On elevated ground To the east, 38 00:02:55,267 --> 00:02:58,133 A walled temple complex Surrounds a stepped Structure 80 feet tall, 39 00:02:59,500 --> 00:03:01,200 Called a ziggurat. 40 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,267 But one crucial feature is Missing, a royal palace. 41 00:03:06,467 --> 00:03:09,333 If no king lives here, Who builds this city and why? 42 00:03:11,067 --> 00:03:12,167 For over 40 years, 43 00:03:13,367 --> 00:03:16,267 Invasion, war and terror Has devastated this country. 44 00:03:18,167 --> 00:03:20,733 Only now can Investigators return To this off-limits site, 45 00:03:21,633 --> 00:03:23,067 To unlock the secrets Of nippur. 46 00:03:25,700 --> 00:03:28,667 Our cameras have been given Exclusive access to follow Their work 47 00:03:29,633 --> 00:03:31,500 Exploring this Half-buried ancient city. 48 00:03:33,900 --> 00:03:34,967 Abbas al-husseini leads 49 00:03:35,967 --> 00:03:37,700 Excavations across This region of iraq. 50 00:03:45,433 --> 00:03:46,967 He heads to the heart Of the ruins, 51 00:03:47,533 --> 00:03:48,933 This towering mound. 52 00:03:52,167 --> 00:03:54,633 Today, a building erected By the first american Archeologist 53 00:03:55,867 --> 00:03:57,933 To map this site, sits on top Of the ancient ziggurat. 54 00:04:00,467 --> 00:04:02,333 Beneath it, abbas believes There are clues 55 00:04:03,633 --> 00:04:06,067 To the identity Of the first civilization To build here. 56 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:09,500 Clues that date back To the dawn of The written word. 57 00:04:11,533 --> 00:04:14,467 [al-husseini speaking] 58 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:28,400 [narrator] Abbas finds Pieces of ancient pottery here 59 00:04:29,433 --> 00:04:31,433 That date to the early 3rd millennium b.C... 60 00:04:35,500 --> 00:04:37,667 Making nippur One of the oldest cities In the world. 61 00:04:41,867 --> 00:04:44,800 But a city without a palace Means that no one rules From nippur. 62 00:04:49,533 --> 00:04:53,067 No king sits on a throne here. So, who builds this city? 63 00:04:57,833 --> 00:05:00,267 Abbas believes that a clue Can be found in the Ancient mud bricks 64 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:02,467 That are scattered around The site. 65 00:05:04,567 --> 00:05:06,667 Stamped on the side Of some of the bricks Are strange symbols. 66 00:05:09,433 --> 00:05:11,367 Abbas recognizes The inscriptions. 67 00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:15,567 It's cuneiform, an ancient System of block writing 68 00:05:16,733 --> 00:05:19,233 First developed in this area Around 5,000 years ago. 69 00:05:21,833 --> 00:05:23,867 It is the oldest written Language ever discovered. 70 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,200 He reads the ancient script. 71 00:05:29,067 --> 00:05:31,933 [al-husseini Speaking ancient language] 72 00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:34,467 [speaking english] 73 00:05:52,267 --> 00:05:54,533 [narrator] King ur-nammu Is the ruler of this part Of mesopotamia 74 00:05:55,100 --> 00:05:57,067 In around 2100 b.C. 75 00:05:59,267 --> 00:06:01,333 He is one Of the greatest kings Of the ancient sumerians. 76 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:07,767 Over 4000 years ago, 77 00:06:08,933 --> 00:06:11,367 Many rival kings fight For control of mesopotamia. 78 00:06:15,633 --> 00:06:17,767 Around 2100 b.C., 79 00:06:19,067 --> 00:06:22,567 Ur-nammu finally unites ur, Babylon, akkad and sumeria, 80 00:06:23,733 --> 00:06:25,767 And founds the third dynasty Of the sumerian empire. 81 00:06:27,967 --> 00:06:29,967 He creates the oldest known Legal system, 82 00:06:30,567 --> 00:06:32,400 The code of ur-nammu, 83 00:06:33,367 --> 00:06:36,300 57 laws that cover Sorcery to murder. 84 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:40,900 And he undertakes Vast projects, 85 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,300 Building new roads, canals 86 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:45,733 And ziggurats Across his empire. 87 00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:52,533 One of his greatest Achievements is the Mighty ziggurat of ur, 88 00:06:54,067 --> 00:06:57,733 A 100-foot-high, stacked Superstructure to rival The pyramids of egypt, 89 00:06:59,633 --> 00:07:02,667 An astonishing monument That dominates His capital city, ur. 90 00:07:06,067 --> 00:07:08,533 King ur-nammu also transforms Nippur with the construction 91 00:07:09,733 --> 00:07:12,100 Of its own huge ziggurat And monumental city walls. 92 00:07:14,500 --> 00:07:17,533 Why does he lavish Such resources on a city That is not his ruling base? 93 00:07:21,267 --> 00:07:23,933 Clues could lie in a tiny Statue hidden in the base Of the ziggurat. 94 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,633 [al-husseini speaking] 95 00:07:37,067 --> 00:07:38,967 [narrator] Enlil is a mighty And powerful god. 96 00:07:42,067 --> 00:07:43,833 The king orders The construction Of the great ziggurat 97 00:07:44,833 --> 00:07:46,467 As a supreme act of devotion And worship. 98 00:07:50,300 --> 00:07:53,067 Ur-nammu builds His temple complex From thousands of mud bricks. 99 00:07:56,067 --> 00:07:59,467 Forty-foot-high walls Surround temples and shrines. 100 00:08:01,067 --> 00:08:02,667 A mountain house for the gods. 101 00:08:03,833 --> 00:08:06,567 Here, the king builds A temple, a huge ziggurat. 102 00:08:08,100 --> 00:08:10,300 At the top, he adds a shrine Close to the heavens. 103 00:08:12,867 --> 00:08:16,533 This is where the king comes To worship the most important God in the sumerian pantheon, 104 00:08:17,267 --> 00:08:19,133 Enlil, the god of creation. 105 00:08:24,733 --> 00:08:27,900 Ancient kings often portray Themselves as close To powerful gods. 106 00:08:29,733 --> 00:08:32,767 But nippur is 100 miles From the king's palace at ur. 107 00:08:35,667 --> 00:08:38,633 Why does king ur-nammu Build a temple to the All-powerful god enlil, 108 00:08:39,333 --> 00:08:41,067 In the distant city of nippur? 109 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:45,867 The answer could lie buried In the desert landscape. 110 00:08:49,167 --> 00:08:50,667 Jeff allen works to protect The glories 111 00:08:51,733 --> 00:08:53,500 Of ancient mesopotamia's Long-forgotten past. 112 00:08:57,133 --> 00:08:59,333 He thinks nippur's location Is key to explaining why 113 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,300 King ur-nammu designates The city as the home Of enlil. 114 00:09:06,500 --> 00:09:07,800 [allen] Babylon is here In the north. 115 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,400 Rival cities such as akkad And ur are further south. 116 00:09:14,533 --> 00:09:16,433 Nippur is right in the middle Of mesopotamia. 117 00:09:17,467 --> 00:09:20,433 Nippur is in the middle Of warring city-states 118 00:09:21,100 --> 00:09:23,700 Such as babylon, ur and akkad. 119 00:09:28,833 --> 00:09:30,400 [narrator] The states Of ancient mesopotamia, 120 00:09:32,367 --> 00:09:35,100 Sumer, ur, akkad, babylon,. 121 00:09:36,267 --> 00:09:38,967 Are engaged in a series Of almost never-ending wars. 122 00:09:41,933 --> 00:09:44,067 [allen] Nippur becomes The home of enlil, 123 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,267 Because it is the place 124 00:09:47,300 --> 00:09:49,467 Where enemies take disputes To be resolved. 125 00:09:51,667 --> 00:09:53,067 [narrator] It's neutral territory, 126 00:09:54,633 --> 00:09:56,733 An ancient equivalent To the united nations building In new york city. 127 00:09:59,667 --> 00:10:01,600 [allen] Nippur is also 128 00:10:02,933 --> 00:10:05,667 The ethnic and linguistic Frontier between The different states. 129 00:10:07,700 --> 00:10:08,533 [narrator] Four thousand years ago, 130 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,067 The city of nippur plays A unique role in mesopotamia. 131 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,100 It is the perfect place To establish the cult of enlil 132 00:10:16,967 --> 00:10:18,567 And build A spectacular ziggurat. 133 00:10:23,367 --> 00:10:25,467 Nippur is the only city Where enlil is worshipped, 134 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,233 Confirming the city's place As the religious capital Of ancient mesopotamia. 135 00:10:33,733 --> 00:10:36,400 Pilgrims of enlil's cult Flock here in their thousands. 136 00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:41,300 Nippur is sacred To every mesopotamian. 137 00:10:43,367 --> 00:10:44,433 And throughout history, 138 00:10:45,867 --> 00:10:48,467 There is no record of nippur Ever being destroyed By conquerors. 139 00:10:53,133 --> 00:10:56,100 Unlike great mesopotamian Sites like babylon, Lagash and ur... 140 00:10:59,867 --> 00:11:03,467 This desolated ruin is one Of the only ancient cities Never to be destroyed. 141 00:11:09,833 --> 00:11:12,367 After ur-nammu's death And the demise Of his dynasty, 142 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,067 Mesopotamian rulers continued To worship at nippur. 143 00:11:18,767 --> 00:11:22,267 [allen] Ancient texts say That sumerian kings Don't inherit the thrones. 144 00:11:23,233 --> 00:11:24,500 They must seek The approval of the deities. 145 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,400 [narrator] In return For enlil's divine blessing, 146 00:11:30,433 --> 00:11:32,833 Kings of states Like sumer, ur and akkad, 147 00:11:33,467 --> 00:11:34,800 Lavish gifts of land, 148 00:11:35,733 --> 00:11:37,567 Jewelry, gold And slaves on nippur. 149 00:11:40,633 --> 00:11:44,400 The city's status and power Is derived from enlil, The creation god, 150 00:11:44,833 --> 00:11:46,067 The kingmaker. 151 00:11:50,100 --> 00:11:52,567 Are there other gods hiding Beneath the sands of nippur? 152 00:11:53,767 --> 00:11:54,833 What secrets do they hold 153 00:11:56,067 --> 00:11:58,500 About life in one of the World's oldest civilizations? 154 00:12:10,533 --> 00:12:13,067 [narrator] The ancient city Of nippur in modern-day iraq. 155 00:12:15,300 --> 00:12:16,833 Home to a glorious ziggurat, 156 00:12:18,133 --> 00:12:21,067 Dedicated to enlil, The mesopotamian God of creation. 157 00:12:22,933 --> 00:12:24,333 But that's only a fraction Of this huge city. 158 00:12:27,267 --> 00:12:29,567 What other secrets lie hidden Beneath the desert sands? 159 00:12:32,667 --> 00:12:34,567 To investigate, Abbas al-husseini Takes to the air. 160 00:12:40,867 --> 00:12:42,933 This part of iraq Is a sensitive military zone. 161 00:12:44,433 --> 00:12:46,067 But abbas has been given Exclusive permission 162 00:12:47,133 --> 00:12:49,167 To fly a drone-mounted, High-definition camera 163 00:12:50,267 --> 00:12:51,967 Over the ruins and Their surrounding landscape. 164 00:12:54,667 --> 00:12:56,567 A lost city comes into view. 165 00:12:58,333 --> 00:13:00,300 Traces of monumental walls Peak out from beneath 166 00:13:01,300 --> 00:13:03,300 Centuries of accumulated Sand and debris. 167 00:13:05,867 --> 00:13:07,900 The outlines of many more Structures become clear. 168 00:13:09,733 --> 00:13:11,400 [al-husseini speaking] 169 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,133 [narrator] Investigators Uncover more than 100 temples In nippur, 170 00:13:29,633 --> 00:13:31,933 Each dedicated to the dozens Of different gods worshipped 171 00:13:32,567 --> 00:13:34,067 In ancient mesopotamia. 172 00:13:37,100 --> 00:13:39,333 One temple rivals enlil's For its prominence. 173 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:48,333 In the west of the city, 174 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,067 Archeologists unearth The walls of a temple 175 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:53,967 That dates To around 3000 b.C., 176 00:13:54,933 --> 00:13:56,967 1,000 years Before the great ziggurat. 177 00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:01,433 Buried in the corner Of a sanctuary, 178 00:14:01,967 --> 00:14:03,100 They find statues. 179 00:14:03,700 --> 00:14:04,900 Many of them are women. 180 00:14:10,867 --> 00:14:13,233 In another room, A calcite bowl To hold offerings, 181 00:14:14,167 --> 00:14:15,600 Bears the name Of this temple's deity: 182 00:14:17,233 --> 00:14:18,400 The goddess ishtar. 183 00:14:20,067 --> 00:14:21,267 Who is ishtar? 184 00:14:23,833 --> 00:14:26,233 And can she shed light On life in ancient nippur? 185 00:14:31,233 --> 00:14:33,400 Ali hussein is an expert 186 00:14:34,333 --> 00:14:36,100 On the people Of ancient mesopotamia. 187 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:38,567 He searches for answers here, 188 00:14:40,133 --> 00:14:42,500 Amongst the country's Most prestigious Archaeological discoveries, 189 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:44,833 The iraq museum in baghdad. 190 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,733 It is home To a spectacular collection Of over 100,000 artifacts 191 00:14:51,700 --> 00:14:53,167 From the world's Oldest civilizations. 192 00:14:56,467 --> 00:14:59,067 Ali believes That tantalizing evidence Of ishtar's importance 193 00:15:00,067 --> 00:15:01,633 Can be seen On a unique discovery 194 00:15:02,467 --> 00:15:04,600 Found 60 miles south Of nippur. 195 00:15:06,333 --> 00:15:07,733 [speaking foreign language] 196 00:15:14,533 --> 00:15:16,333 [narrator] Ali examines The inscriptions on the vase. 197 00:15:18,133 --> 00:15:19,233 [hussein speaking Foreign language] 198 00:15:31,667 --> 00:15:34,433 [narrator] The reed bundles On the highest level Are symbols of ishtar, 199 00:15:35,300 --> 00:15:36,600 Goddess of fertility And plenty. 200 00:15:39,267 --> 00:15:42,067 The vase reveals An order of nature In mesopotamian belief, 201 00:15:42,867 --> 00:15:44,400 From crops, up to animals, 202 00:15:45,333 --> 00:15:47,167 Up to humans, With ishtar at the top. 203 00:15:49,067 --> 00:15:50,500 A queen of the heavens, 204 00:15:52,067 --> 00:15:54,133 She is one Of the most revered deities In the mesopotamian pantheon. 205 00:15:57,667 --> 00:16:00,667 Her importance and popularity Are due to the part she plays 206 00:16:01,367 --> 00:16:02,433 In the mesopotamian story 207 00:16:03,367 --> 00:16:04,967 Of the beginning Of human civilization. 208 00:16:10,067 --> 00:16:11,500 In the ancient myth, 209 00:16:12,467 --> 00:16:14,233 Ishtar feasts With her father enki, 210 00:16:14,767 --> 00:16:15,900 The god of wisdom. 211 00:16:19,067 --> 00:16:21,933 Enki gets drunk And reveals to ishtar 212 00:16:23,067 --> 00:16:25,333 A set of secret divine rules For civilization 213 00:16:26,467 --> 00:16:28,500 That the sumerians Call "Me's." 214 00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:33,633 When a sober enki Realizes his mistake... 215 00:16:36,567 --> 00:16:38,567 He sends his giants To capture ishtar. 216 00:16:42,100 --> 00:16:43,667 Ishtar flees On her boat of heaven 217 00:16:44,567 --> 00:16:46,067 To deliver the me's To the people, 218 00:16:47,067 --> 00:16:49,400 Spreading wisdom from the gods To humanity. 219 00:16:53,767 --> 00:16:56,467 Ishtar is loved and worshipped Throughout mesopotamia. 220 00:16:59,067 --> 00:17:01,167 And ali believes A remarkable discovery In nippur 221 00:17:02,233 --> 00:17:04,133 Shows that ishtar's standing Amongst the gods 222 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:07,600 Reflects a surprising feature Of sumerian society. 223 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:11,933 [hussein speaking Foreign language] 224 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:35,500 [narrator] The sculpture seems To present the couple As equals. 225 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:39,633 Ali thinks that With equality among male And female gods 226 00:17:40,700 --> 00:17:43,367 Comes equality among Sumerian men and women. 227 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:46,833 [speaking foreign language] 228 00:17:57,067 --> 00:17:58,867 [narrator] Sumerian women Can also own property, 229 00:18:00,100 --> 00:18:03,133 Become scribes, physicians, And even act as judges. 230 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,967 We tend to think Of modern civilization As the most progressive. 231 00:18:10,167 --> 00:18:12,567 Yet, this 4000-year-old Culture boasts 232 00:18:13,533 --> 00:18:15,100 Female empowerment And gender equality 233 00:18:16,633 --> 00:18:19,400 That many modern societies Have only achieved In the last century. 234 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:24,067 Under ishtar And enlil's protection, 235 00:18:25,433 --> 00:18:28,067 Nippur grows steadily Around the temples And great ziggurat. 236 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,467 How does this huge city thrive In this desert landscape? 237 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:38,767 And can a discovery In the sand 238 00:18:40,067 --> 00:18:42,067 Reveal how The city's greatest asset 239 00:18:43,433 --> 00:18:44,900 Becomes its downfall? 240 00:18:54,667 --> 00:18:56,467 [narrator] Nippur, In ancient mesopotamia. 241 00:18:59,133 --> 00:19:01,933 At its height, 40,000 people live And work here, 242 00:19:04,700 --> 00:19:07,733 Maintaining the temples Of enlil, ishtar, And hundreds of others. 243 00:19:10,367 --> 00:19:13,700 Today, the temperatures Can soar to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. 244 00:19:15,067 --> 00:19:16,333 How can the city survive here, 245 00:19:17,433 --> 00:19:19,633 And thrive in such An unforgiving environment? 246 00:19:24,167 --> 00:19:25,467 [al-husseini speaking] 247 00:19:40,833 --> 00:19:42,767 [narrator] There's no sign Of water here today. 248 00:19:44,133 --> 00:19:46,133 Was this landscape so arid Thousands of years ago, 249 00:19:47,067 --> 00:19:48,367 When nippur Was a thriving city? 250 00:19:54,433 --> 00:19:56,067 Abbas al-husseini And his team launch 251 00:19:57,367 --> 00:19:59,700 A drone-mounted High-definition camera To hunt for clues. 252 00:20:02,667 --> 00:20:06,133 The bird's-eye view reveals The outline of a ditch Cutting across the landscape. 253 00:20:08,900 --> 00:20:11,167 [al-husseini speaking] 254 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,033 [narrator] The shatt en-nil Is an offshoot Of the euphrates river, 255 00:20:20,167 --> 00:20:22,533 One of two giant waterways That flank mesopotamia. 256 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:29,400 [al-husseini speaking] 257 00:20:51,100 --> 00:20:53,167 [narrator] In 2100 b.C., 258 00:20:54,567 --> 00:20:57,200 The shatt en-nil Channels water From the euphrates to nippur. 259 00:21:01,133 --> 00:21:03,200 It's over 50 yards wide In some parts, 260 00:21:04,833 --> 00:21:06,900 Big enough for boats To navigate In both directions. 261 00:21:10,067 --> 00:21:11,733 The sumerians build nippur On its banks, 262 00:21:13,967 --> 00:21:17,600 And it provides freshwater All year round to sustain The ever-growing city. 263 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,900 It irrigates a vast garden In the west of nippur, 264 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:25,733 And barley fields Outside its walls. 265 00:21:28,533 --> 00:21:31,100 But this great waterway Could also serve Another purpose. 266 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,933 Clues may be found 45 miles to the north, 267 00:21:39,667 --> 00:21:41,933 In the most famous Mesopotamian city of all, 268 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:44,800 Babylon. 269 00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:51,067 A city that covers An astonishing 3.5 square miles, 270 00:21:52,067 --> 00:21:54,367 And is once home To over 200,000 people. 271 00:21:58,100 --> 00:22:00,967 In nippur, many of the ruins Are still buried Beneath the dirt. 272 00:22:04,300 --> 00:22:06,967 But excavations at babylon Could reveal a similar layout, 273 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,633 And shed light on the purpose Of the city center waterway. 274 00:22:16,300 --> 00:22:17,800 Jeff allen investigates. 275 00:22:22,067 --> 00:22:24,667 [allen] About 85% of babylon Is still to be excavated. 276 00:22:26,133 --> 00:22:27,400 It's hard to see, 277 00:22:28,933 --> 00:22:32,067 But around me Are bricks dating from around The 6th century b.C. 278 00:22:35,900 --> 00:22:36,967 [narrator] Jeff believes That these bricks provide 279 00:22:38,067 --> 00:22:40,733 A tantalizing glimpse Into the distant past. 280 00:22:42,833 --> 00:22:47,167 The bricks support piers Upon which a bridge rests Over the river euphrates. 281 00:22:51,067 --> 00:22:53,367 [narrator] The river euphrates Divides babylon in two. 282 00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:56,467 A succession Of ancient bridges Links the city together. 283 00:22:58,700 --> 00:23:01,567 This engineering feat Allows babylon to thrive Around the river, 284 00:23:02,967 --> 00:23:05,333 Just like nippur thrives Around the shatt en-nil Waterway. 285 00:23:09,367 --> 00:23:10,867 The river Is an ancient superhighway 286 00:23:11,733 --> 00:23:13,467 That connects nippur With babylon 287 00:23:14,467 --> 00:23:16,400 And all the other major cities In mesopotamia. 288 00:23:18,133 --> 00:23:19,400 It makes it simple To travel to nippur, 289 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:22,167 To worship The god of creation, enlil. 290 00:23:24,500 --> 00:23:26,067 This enables the city To establish itself 291 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,600 As the center of cult worship In ancient mesopotamia. 292 00:23:32,567 --> 00:23:35,133 But could this waterway That helps the city rise To greatness 293 00:23:35,867 --> 00:23:37,600 Also be the city's downfall? 294 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,633 We know that the euphrates Shifts course On several occasions. 295 00:23:44,300 --> 00:23:46,833 And that will have an impact Upstream, too, in nippur. 296 00:23:49,167 --> 00:23:50,500 [narrator] If the euphrates shifts, 297 00:23:51,500 --> 00:23:52,933 The shatt en-nil waterway Could dry up. 298 00:23:54,767 --> 00:23:56,567 Nippur's people could be Starved of water. 299 00:23:58,367 --> 00:23:59,367 The citizens leave. 300 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:01,300 It probably explains Why we don't have 301 00:24:02,333 --> 00:24:03,867 Any archaeological evidence For the period. 302 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:10,500 When the course Of the river changes, The people move to follow it. 303 00:24:13,767 --> 00:24:15,600 [narrator] Nippur's temples Are abandoned. 304 00:24:16,567 --> 00:24:18,533 It's no longer a home For the gods. 305 00:24:21,867 --> 00:24:23,833 The ziggurat, The temple to enlil, 306 00:24:25,267 --> 00:24:27,067 Is neglected, And falls into disrepair. 307 00:24:30,933 --> 00:24:31,767 [allen] Perhaps Nippur's decline 308 00:24:32,900 --> 00:24:35,867 Is caused by the gods Angry at enlil's dethronement. 309 00:24:37,500 --> 00:24:38,267 [narrator] After two millennia 310 00:24:39,367 --> 00:24:41,133 As the heart Of mesopotamian civilization, 311 00:24:41,767 --> 00:24:43,700 Nippur is a ghost city. 312 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:49,567 But discoveries unearthed here Reveal clues of the surprising Resurrection of nippur. 313 00:24:51,733 --> 00:24:55,400 How does nippur miraculously Retake its role at the center Of cult worship? 314 00:25:06,633 --> 00:25:07,633 [narrator] In the deserts Of southern iraq, 315 00:25:09,267 --> 00:25:12,267 Archaeologists reveal the rise And fall of nippur. 316 00:25:15,367 --> 00:25:18,067 By 1750 b.C., It is a ghost town. 317 00:25:20,100 --> 00:25:22,300 But this sacred city Is not abandoned forever. 318 00:25:24,433 --> 00:25:25,567 At the base of the ziggurat, 319 00:25:26,700 --> 00:25:29,067 Excavators discover More recent stamped bricks. 320 00:25:30,900 --> 00:25:34,167 They reveal the name Of a great assyrian king, Ashurbanipal. 321 00:25:36,367 --> 00:25:39,067 This mighty new ruler Takes nippur as his own, 322 00:25:39,867 --> 00:25:41,667 And gives it A new lease on life. 323 00:25:44,233 --> 00:25:45,467 [heath-whyte] Ashurbanipal successfully Restored nippur 324 00:25:46,067 --> 00:25:46,867 To its former glory. 325 00:25:47,733 --> 00:25:48,933 As a hub of trade And commerce, 326 00:25:50,067 --> 00:25:50,733 Crowds of people would have Flocked into nippur 327 00:25:52,300 --> 00:25:54,767 To see the recently rebuilt Temple complex, And to visit the god enlil. 328 00:25:57,333 --> 00:26:00,633 [narrator] Ashurbanipal Fully restores the ziggurat In 650 b.C., 329 00:26:02,433 --> 00:26:05,067 Complete with a shrine To the god enlil at the top. 330 00:26:07,367 --> 00:26:09,833 Why does he restore What was lost Hundreds of years before? 331 00:26:13,233 --> 00:26:14,833 George heath-whyte Is an expert 332 00:26:15,967 --> 00:26:17,933 On the ancient peoples Of mesopotamia and assyria. 333 00:26:21,100 --> 00:26:22,667 He thinks inscriptions On bricks from nippur 334 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,200 Offer clues to the motivations Of king ashurbanipal. 335 00:26:28,367 --> 00:26:30,133 He recreates The cuneiform text 336 00:26:31,067 --> 00:26:32,300 So he can analyze it More closely. 337 00:26:34,233 --> 00:26:35,567 [heath-whyte] I'll read out In the language It was written in. 338 00:26:36,567 --> 00:26:39,133 [speaking ancient language] 339 00:26:40,067 --> 00:26:41,567 Which means "Enlil, King of the lands." 340 00:26:43,567 --> 00:26:46,100 What's so interesting About this brick Is that the king who wrote it 341 00:26:47,233 --> 00:26:48,300 Is using signs from hundreds And hundreds of years, 342 00:26:49,167 --> 00:26:51,500 Even 1,500 years Before his own time. 343 00:26:52,933 --> 00:26:54,700 If you lived in nippur At the time of ashurbanipal, 344 00:26:55,567 --> 00:26:56,067 You wouldn't be able To understand 345 00:26:56,933 --> 00:26:57,967 What was being Written on these bricks. 346 00:26:59,767 --> 00:27:02,833 [narrator] George compares This text to another inscribed Brick also found at nippur, 347 00:27:03,700 --> 00:27:05,767 To explore What this language is. 348 00:27:06,733 --> 00:27:09,600 We have here a photo Of a much older brick, 349 00:27:10,667 --> 00:27:12,833 Of over 1,000 years Before ashurbanipal's reign. 350 00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:16,733 And it's actually incredibly Similar to this brick Of ashurbanipal's. 351 00:27:17,833 --> 00:27:18,900 And you can see it, The layout is very similar. 352 00:27:20,333 --> 00:27:24,633 We've got this big box Ruled out by lines, Written onto a brick. 353 00:27:26,867 --> 00:27:29,133 [narrator] Why is ashurbanipal returning To ancient traditions, 354 00:27:30,900 --> 00:27:34,367 Going back to a writing style From over 1000 years Before his reign? 355 00:27:35,700 --> 00:27:36,567 [heath-whyte] It's like If you were to build A building today 356 00:27:37,567 --> 00:27:39,067 And put a latin inscription On the top of it. 357 00:27:40,733 --> 00:27:42,067 Not many people would be able To understand it, but you Might be able to recognize 358 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,767 That the builder was trying To hark back to a much Older period of time. 359 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,500 [narrator] George thinks A clue is hidden In its translation. 360 00:27:50,633 --> 00:27:53,567 Written here so far is, "Enlil, king of the lands. 361 00:27:54,833 --> 00:27:56,833 His king." That "His" is just talking About ashurbanipal. 362 00:27:57,800 --> 00:27:59,333 Ashurbanipal is the king Of a mighty empire, 363 00:28:00,500 --> 00:28:02,200 But he's describing This god enlil as his king. 364 00:28:03,933 --> 00:28:05,333 [narrator] The translation Reveals that ashurbanipal 365 00:28:06,467 --> 00:28:08,767 Wants to win favor With the supreme deity enlil. 366 00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:15,567 He uses sumerian language And cuneiform To deliberately echo the past. 367 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:19,867 He restores the city As the cult center for enlil. 368 00:28:22,633 --> 00:28:23,833 [heath-whyte] For a long time, Before ashurbanipal Came along, 369 00:28:24,500 --> 00:28:25,133 Nippur had been neglected, 370 00:28:26,067 --> 00:28:27,233 And its temples Had fallen into ruins. 371 00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:28,800 He's looking Back to the period 372 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:30,567 When nippur was At the height of its glory, 373 00:28:31,700 --> 00:28:33,633 When nippur was The center of the world, Almost. 374 00:28:34,967 --> 00:28:36,333 And he's trying to say, "Nippur, you can be Like this again." 375 00:28:38,500 --> 00:28:39,733 [narrator] Ashurbanipal Stamps his message 376 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:41,800 Onto thousands of bricks, 377 00:28:44,333 --> 00:28:45,733 And rebuilds The temple complex 378 00:28:46,667 --> 00:28:48,633 As it was Over a millennium before. 379 00:28:50,167 --> 00:28:51,367 He's sending out A clear message. 380 00:28:52,933 --> 00:28:53,600 [heath-whyte] Ashurbanipal, He's trying to show 381 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:55,900 That he's not just a king From a foreign land, 382 00:28:56,733 --> 00:28:57,067 Coming in And trying to rule them 383 00:28:57,933 --> 00:28:58,400 And steal their grain Or whatever, 384 00:28:59,533 --> 00:29:00,900 That he is their king, And he's gonna support them, 385 00:29:01,500 --> 00:29:02,533 And rebuild their city. 386 00:29:04,100 --> 00:29:06,100 [narrator] Is ashurbanipal A benevolent king, 387 00:29:07,967 --> 00:29:10,933 Winning loyalty Simply by reviving Nippur's lost wonders? 388 00:29:13,500 --> 00:29:14,400 [narrator] Ashurbanipal's empire 389 00:29:15,433 --> 00:29:17,067 Stretches from egypt To the persian gulf, 390 00:29:18,533 --> 00:29:19,867 But some factions Rise up against him, 391 00:29:21,100 --> 00:29:23,367 Including one Led by his own brother In babylon. 392 00:29:26,533 --> 00:29:28,267 Ashurbanipal shows His ruthlessness 393 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:30,433 By cutting off His enemies' heads 394 00:29:31,300 --> 00:29:32,600 And displaying them In his garden. 395 00:29:36,267 --> 00:29:37,467 [narrator] He's a cruel king, 396 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:39,867 But also a religious scholar, 397 00:29:41,667 --> 00:29:44,500 And builds the world's First library of sacred texts In nineveh. 398 00:29:47,900 --> 00:29:49,600 Ashurbanipal restores Nippur's temples 399 00:29:50,733 --> 00:29:52,933 To win the support Of the gods and the people, 400 00:29:53,867 --> 00:29:55,733 A clever ploy To suppress uprising. 401 00:29:57,933 --> 00:29:58,867 By rebuilding nippur, 402 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,633 Ashurbanipal reignites The god enlil's role As kingmaker, 403 00:30:05,767 --> 00:30:07,233 Cleverly strengthening His position 404 00:30:07,900 --> 00:30:09,800 As the ruler enlil has chosen. 405 00:30:11,733 --> 00:30:13,900 Nippur returns to its status As the preeminent place 406 00:30:14,733 --> 00:30:15,967 Of cult worship In mesopotamia, 407 00:30:17,433 --> 00:30:19,233 An untouchable Neutral territory, 408 00:30:19,900 --> 00:30:21,500 A place respected by all. 409 00:30:23,300 --> 00:30:24,200 [heath-whyte] Nippur was almost like An ancient equivalent 410 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:25,800 Of the vatican city today. 411 00:30:26,767 --> 00:30:28,733 No matter where Political power was held, 412 00:30:29,633 --> 00:30:31,433 Nippur was where Religious power was held. 413 00:30:32,333 --> 00:30:33,600 [narrator] Despite over 1,000 years 414 00:30:34,833 --> 00:30:37,033 Separating the reigns Of ur-nammu and ashurbanipal, 415 00:30:37,933 --> 00:30:39,433 The city of nippur Remains crucial 416 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,000 To the fortunes Of mesopotamian rulers. 417 00:30:45,833 --> 00:30:48,800 Can an astonishing find Of ancient clay tablets In nippur 418 00:30:49,700 --> 00:30:51,633 Show how successful Ashurbanipal is 419 00:30:52,567 --> 00:30:54,067 At reviving the fortunes Of the city? 420 00:30:55,933 --> 00:30:57,733 And can these texts Reveal the origins 421 00:30:58,867 --> 00:31:00,500 Of one of the most Famous stories in the bible? 422 00:31:11,567 --> 00:31:12,467 [narrator] Nippur... 423 00:31:14,567 --> 00:31:16,200 By the 7th century b.C., 424 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:18,933 The city is thriving For the second time, 425 00:31:20,300 --> 00:31:22,800 Under the rule of the mighty King ashurbanipal. 426 00:31:23,933 --> 00:31:26,267 He restores enlil's temple To its former glory. 427 00:31:27,733 --> 00:31:29,100 Nippur is once again The center of worship 428 00:31:30,167 --> 00:31:32,100 For the ancient mesopotamian God of creation. 429 00:31:34,567 --> 00:31:36,867 Now investigators believe That an astonishing find 430 00:31:37,833 --> 00:31:39,300 May unlock the secrets Of life in nippur 431 00:31:40,067 --> 00:31:41,833 After its surprising revival. 432 00:31:44,233 --> 00:31:44,800 [allen] What we found At nippur 433 00:31:45,867 --> 00:31:47,400 Revolutionized Our understanding Of these peoples 434 00:31:47,833 --> 00:31:49,067 And their world. 435 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:52,700 [narrator] Five hundred yards From the ziggurat, 436 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:54,600 In the western half Of the city, 437 00:31:56,467 --> 00:31:58,100 Archaeologists uncover a house 438 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:00,167 From the 5th century b.C. 439 00:32:02,533 --> 00:32:03,867 Scattered across the floor, 440 00:32:04,767 --> 00:32:06,167 They find hundreds Of clay tablets. 441 00:32:08,667 --> 00:32:10,067 They document The financial transactions 442 00:32:10,933 --> 00:32:12,833 Of a banking family Called morashu. 443 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:16,600 What can this Astonishing treasure trove 444 00:32:17,533 --> 00:32:19,167 Tell us about Why nippur is thriving? 445 00:32:23,533 --> 00:32:25,733 George heath-whyte Pieces together This ancient puzzle, 446 00:32:27,300 --> 00:32:28,667 Revealing a picture Of the morashu family 447 00:32:29,833 --> 00:32:31,333 As one of the leading Business families in nippur. 448 00:32:34,767 --> 00:32:36,333 The morashu family Made a lot of money 449 00:32:36,767 --> 00:32:37,267 In banking. 450 00:32:38,067 --> 00:32:38,933 They would Lend money to people, 451 00:32:39,633 --> 00:32:40,400 They would buy and sell land, 452 00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:42,167 And when people couldn't pay Their debts to them, 453 00:32:43,067 --> 00:32:43,933 They would take that land Off them. 454 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:45,600 And they became very wealthy 455 00:32:46,567 --> 00:32:47,600 Over the course Of the 5th century b.C. 456 00:32:49,067 --> 00:32:49,767 [narrator] These astonishing documents 457 00:32:50,433 --> 00:32:52,267 Show that 2,500 years ago, 458 00:32:53,867 --> 00:32:56,933 The morashu family Runs a highly sophisticated Financial powerhouse. 459 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:01,067 As well as land, They'd trade grain and fruit, 460 00:33:02,067 --> 00:33:02,900 Funding huge developments 461 00:33:03,767 --> 00:33:04,867 And other Profit-making ventures. 462 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:08,467 [heath-whyte] We know That this family was Very successful, 463 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:10,367 Because we have records Of their business 464 00:33:11,067 --> 00:33:12,200 For over three generations. 465 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:15,367 [narrator] The tablets Are undisputable evidence 466 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,167 That nippur is not only A religious center, 467 00:33:19,133 --> 00:33:21,067 But a thriving business And trading hub. 468 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:24,067 George believes The sheer volume of tablets 469 00:33:25,300 --> 00:33:27,567 Found in the morashu house And in other excavations, 470 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:30,567 Make nippur An astonishing Window on life 471 00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:34,133 In ancient mesopotamia 2,500 years ago. 472 00:33:35,933 --> 00:33:37,067 [heath-whyte] Archaeologists Have found in nippur 473 00:33:37,533 --> 00:33:40,067 Around 30,000 texts 474 00:33:41,267 --> 00:33:43,100 That reveal everything About what life was like In nippur. 475 00:33:45,067 --> 00:33:46,067 [narrator] Tablets discovered At nippur 476 00:33:47,267 --> 00:33:49,400 Date back as far as the middle Of the 3rd millennium, b.C. 477 00:33:51,667 --> 00:33:54,067 One tablet dates back To the 17th century, b.C., 478 00:33:55,067 --> 00:33:56,133 And contains part Of an early version 479 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:58,967 Of the oldest written story Ever discovered, 480 00:34:00,067 --> 00:34:01,400 The epic of gilgamesh. 481 00:34:04,233 --> 00:34:05,367 In the gilgamesh epic, 482 00:34:06,900 --> 00:34:09,433 The god enki tells a man Called utnapishtim, 483 00:34:10,367 --> 00:34:12,167 That other gods Plan to destroy mankind 484 00:34:12,767 --> 00:34:13,967 With a great flood. 485 00:34:16,933 --> 00:34:19,700 Utnapishtim builds A large boat called Preserver of life, 486 00:34:21,067 --> 00:34:22,600 And embarks on it With silver, gold, 487 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:24,433 And all living beings. 488 00:34:27,767 --> 00:34:29,800 The violent flood Lasts for six days, 489 00:34:30,833 --> 00:34:32,567 But cannot sink utnapishtim And his boat. 490 00:34:39,067 --> 00:34:41,700 On the seventh day, Utnapishtim finds land, 491 00:34:42,867 --> 00:34:45,100 And the god enlil Rewards him with immortality. 492 00:34:50,333 --> 00:34:51,500 Jeff allen thinks There may be a link 493 00:34:52,433 --> 00:34:54,100 Between the flood story Found at nippur 494 00:34:54,967 --> 00:34:56,067 And its better known Counterpart 495 00:34:56,633 --> 00:34:57,733 Recorded in genesis, 496 00:34:58,933 --> 00:35:01,867 The first book of the bible, The story of noah's ark. 497 00:35:03,333 --> 00:35:05,900 [allen] There is similarity Between the story Of noah's ark 498 00:35:06,867 --> 00:35:08,533 And the flood myth In the gilgamesh epic. 499 00:35:09,733 --> 00:35:11,633 Did the jews know Of gilgamesh, 500 00:35:12,533 --> 00:35:14,933 And it influenced The writings of genesis? 501 00:35:18,167 --> 00:35:20,133 [narrator] Many jews Are taken in captivity To babylon 502 00:35:21,067 --> 00:35:21,700 After the capture Of jerusalem, 503 00:35:22,833 --> 00:35:26,500 By the babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, in 587 b.C. 504 00:35:28,300 --> 00:35:30,933 In exile, jewish scholars Compile and write 505 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:33,067 The genesis story of creation. 506 00:35:34,167 --> 00:35:36,067 They may draw on gilgamesh And other sources. 507 00:35:38,067 --> 00:35:39,400 Did both, Genesis and gilgamesh, 508 00:35:39,933 --> 00:35:40,833 Draw their material 509 00:35:41,867 --> 00:35:43,567 From a common tradition About the great flood? 510 00:35:45,667 --> 00:35:46,733 [narrator] The thousands of tablets Found here 511 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:49,267 Reveal astonishing Detail of life 512 00:35:49,967 --> 00:35:51,667 In 5th century b.C., nippur. 513 00:35:53,433 --> 00:35:55,367 They paint a complex portrait Of a tolerant, 514 00:35:55,967 --> 00:35:56,900 Progressive society, 515 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:58,400 A thriving city, 516 00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:00,767 Home to business and the arts. 517 00:36:03,433 --> 00:36:05,067 Nippur goes From strength to strength 518 00:36:05,967 --> 00:36:07,500 In the centuries After it is restored. 519 00:36:08,933 --> 00:36:11,067 But can clues Found near the ziggurat 520 00:36:12,100 --> 00:36:14,833 Identify a new war-like people That take over nippur, 521 00:36:16,833 --> 00:36:18,167 And reveal A strange new purpose 522 00:36:18,833 --> 00:36:20,233 For this giant monument? 523 00:36:31,500 --> 00:36:33,800 [narrator] For 2,000 years, The city of nippur flourishes 524 00:36:35,067 --> 00:36:37,133 As the center of cult worship In ancient mesopotamia. 525 00:36:40,067 --> 00:36:41,967 Pilgrims flock To its over 100 temples, 526 00:36:43,900 --> 00:36:45,433 And the city grows Along the riverbanks, 527 00:36:46,300 --> 00:36:47,533 Into a thriving center Of trade. 528 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,067 Towering over it all Is the huge ziggurat, 529 00:36:52,567 --> 00:36:54,400 The temple of enlil. 530 00:36:55,933 --> 00:36:58,833 [al-husseini speaking] 531 00:37:03,667 --> 00:37:04,100 [narrator] But after The grandeur 532 00:37:05,067 --> 00:37:07,133 Of the sumerian And assyrian periods, 533 00:37:08,133 --> 00:37:09,833 Some strange modifications To the ziggurat 534 00:37:10,733 --> 00:37:11,767 Reveal that nippur Is taken over 535 00:37:12,467 --> 00:37:14,233 By yet another civilization. 536 00:37:16,467 --> 00:37:18,067 They encase The ziggurat in brick, 537 00:37:18,967 --> 00:37:21,067 And turn it into A cross-shaped monument 538 00:37:21,700 --> 00:37:23,067 That resembles a watchtower. 539 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:27,867 Around it, They build living quarters For a garrison, 540 00:37:29,700 --> 00:37:31,600 All enclosed By strong brick walls 541 00:37:32,267 --> 00:37:33,267 With circular buttresses, 542 00:37:34,833 --> 00:37:36,133 And an outer Fortification wall 543 00:37:36,733 --> 00:37:38,233 Up to 30 feet thick. 544 00:37:40,233 --> 00:37:41,900 What is the ziggurat Transformed into 545 00:37:42,567 --> 00:37:43,867 An impenetrable fortress? 546 00:37:47,300 --> 00:37:49,233 Excavators in the early 1900s 547 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:51,833 Dig up so much of the earth Around the ziggurat, 548 00:37:52,767 --> 00:37:54,133 That much of the evidence Is lost. 549 00:37:55,833 --> 00:37:57,467 [al-husseini speaking] 550 00:38:03,100 --> 00:38:03,900 [narrator] Abbas al-husseini thinks 551 00:38:05,067 --> 00:38:07,133 This last remaining Unexcavated column of earth 552 00:38:08,167 --> 00:38:10,333 Holds vital clues In its untouched layers. 553 00:38:26,667 --> 00:38:27,867 [narrator] Investigators discover The layer of mud bricks 554 00:38:28,767 --> 00:38:29,867 Laid down When the fort is built, 555 00:38:31,167 --> 00:38:33,467 They carbon date Organic material In the mud bricks. 556 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:37,300 It reveals the fort is built In the 1st century ad. 557 00:38:39,733 --> 00:38:41,467 The date, Coupled with the design Of the fortification, 558 00:38:42,867 --> 00:38:44,500 Identifies it as parthian, 559 00:38:46,833 --> 00:38:49,067 A war-like people From what is now iran. 560 00:38:52,300 --> 00:38:53,300 But there's a mystery, 561 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:57,633 The mud bricks are filled With older shards of pottery. 562 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:01,300 Why is there Older sumerian pottery 563 00:39:02,300 --> 00:39:04,300 Set into the newer Parthian mud bricks? 564 00:39:16,567 --> 00:39:17,967 [narrator] The parthians Smashed statues 565 00:39:18,867 --> 00:39:20,067 Sacred to Past civilizations... 566 00:39:22,633 --> 00:39:24,300 And used them As building materials. 567 00:39:26,067 --> 00:39:27,233 Mixed into fresh mud bricks, 568 00:39:28,333 --> 00:39:30,333 They vastly increased The bricks' strength. 569 00:39:33,833 --> 00:39:35,833 The parthians, at war With the roman empire, 570 00:39:37,067 --> 00:39:38,867 Transformed nippur Into a garrison town, 571 00:39:39,933 --> 00:39:41,433 And the ziggurat into a fort, 572 00:39:43,133 --> 00:39:45,300 Building it from Pottery-reinforced bricks For extra strength. 573 00:39:47,367 --> 00:39:48,567 The parthians Fall to the romans 574 00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:50,933 By the end of The 2nd century ad. 575 00:39:54,767 --> 00:39:57,867 But excavations show That nippur isn't destroyed By the roman conquest. 576 00:39:59,900 --> 00:40:02,133 It's still inhabited As late as the 9th century ad, 577 00:40:03,733 --> 00:40:05,433 But only In the city's outskirts. 578 00:40:07,167 --> 00:40:08,933 The religious center Is largely abandoned. 579 00:40:13,967 --> 00:40:16,433 This region is no longer Devoted to the god enlil. 580 00:40:19,133 --> 00:40:20,833 Nippur doesn't end In violence, 581 00:40:21,433 --> 00:40:22,900 It simply fades away. 582 00:40:29,433 --> 00:40:31,467 As investigators Piece together the clues, 583 00:40:32,433 --> 00:40:34,533 A surprising history Emerges at nippur, 584 00:40:35,500 --> 00:40:37,200 Of a city coveted By different empires 585 00:40:37,900 --> 00:40:39,400 Across thousands of years. 586 00:40:41,767 --> 00:40:44,500 It is one of the most Remarkable cities Through history, 587 00:40:45,167 --> 00:40:46,067 And it's through this place 588 00:40:46,900 --> 00:40:48,667 That great Civilizations marched. 589 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:53,700 [narrator] This city Rises from the sands. 590 00:40:55,833 --> 00:40:57,833 The spiritual center Of mesopotamia, 591 00:40:59,100 --> 00:41:01,167 Nippur draws people Of different cultures, 592 00:41:02,700 --> 00:41:03,867 And different beliefs. 593 00:41:06,067 --> 00:41:08,233 And at its heart, The great ziggurat, 594 00:41:10,733 --> 00:41:12,867 First built to honor The sumerian god of creation. 595 00:41:15,367 --> 00:41:18,067 Nippur is reborn With each new civilization, 596 00:41:20,633 --> 00:41:22,833 Surviving as Neighboring cities Are destroyed, 597 00:41:24,467 --> 00:41:26,867 To last for 6,000 years.