ARCHAEOLOGICAL experts have discovered an incredible artefact thought to date back before the birth of Jesus Christ.

By TOM FISH

Archaeologists in the Iraqi region of Duhok have unearthed an ancient stone artefact. And experts have now dated this coarse stone cylindrical object, which has an inscription in Greek, to 165 BC. Although archaeologists discovered the ancient item in March of this year, its age has only now been verified.

Hassan Ahmed, director of Duhok Museum, said: “An excavation team from Duhok Museum and Kurdistan Archaeology Organization in March found an antique tablet in Balyuz hills, 10km (6miles) west of Duhok city, inside the Semel district.

After careful study, we found out that the stone tablet is engraved with Hellenistic script and dates back to 165 BC

Hassan Ahmed

“After careful study, we found out that the stone tablet is engraved with Hellenistic script and dates back to 165 BC”.

The Hellenistic era is the historic period that followed the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC.

Mr Ahmed added the engravings had been translated into Kurdish by researchers.

These translators concluded the inscriptions refer to Demetrius.

This king of Macedon ruled the region in the second century BC.

Mr Ahmed added: “This discovery will pave the way for researchers to conduct further archaeological investigations in the foreseeable future [in the Kurdistan Region].”

Many sculptures, tablets, and other materials resembling ancient Greek objects have been found across the Middle East, in addition to all over modern-day Asia.

Experts now hope this latest discovery will open up the region to further archaeological study.

It is now thought increasingly-likely other important finds are almost certainly waiting to be unearthed in the vicinity.

Local press has reported that the find will be published in academic journals.

The resulting data will is then expected to become available for study by other scholars.

The find comes hot on the heels of another discovery from the Hellenistic culture.

Archaeologists recently uncovered an almost perfectly-preserved terracotta mask depicting Dionysus from a site in modern-day western Turkey.

The 2,400-year-old mask was unearthed while excavating the ancient city of Daskyleion’s acropolis.

Kaan Iren, an archaeologist at Mugla Sitki Kocman University, said in a statement: This is possibly a votive mask.

“More information will become available over time with more research.”

Who was Demetrius I of Macedon?

Demetrius was a Macedonian nobleman, military leader, before ascending to the throne in 288 BC.

He belonged to the Antigonid dynasty and was its first member to rule what is now modern-day Macedonia.

Historians now know how after, besieging the ancient Greek capital Athens without success, he pushed on into Asia.

However, before he reached Syria infighting broke out in his army, and Demetrius was eventually abandoned by his troops on the field of battle, forcing him to surrender.

And despite his son offering all his possessions to procure his father's liberty, Demetrius died following a confinement of three years.

Source: express.co.uk