[h=1]2,600-year-old palace is found buried under the ruins of a shrine blown up by ISIS in Mosul[/h]
- ISIS destroyed the historic tomb of the prophet of Jonah in 2014
- The terror group believe that worshipping shrines is against Islam
- But the tomb was retaken by Iraqi army forces earlier this year
- Archaeologists sent in to assess the damage found a palace buried underneath
Archaeologists assessing the damage caused by Islamic State militants to the tomb of the prophet of Jonah have made a surprise discovery.
Experts found a previously untouched palace dating back to 600BC buried under the ruins of Jonah's desecrated resting place.
The Nebi Yunus shrine - containing what Muslims and Christians believe to be the tomb of Jonah or 'Yunnus' as he is known in the Koran - was destroyed by ISIS militants in July 2014.
Experts found a previously untouched palace dating back to 600BC buried under the ruins of Jonah's desecrated resting place.
The Nebi Yunus shrine - containing what Muslims and Christians believe to be the tomb of Jonah or 'Yunnus' as he is known in the Koran - was destroyed by ISIS militants in July 2014.
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Archaeologists assessing the damage caused by Islamic State militants to the tomb of the prophet of Jonah have found an undiscovered palace. Here, a member of the Iraqi army stands next to Assyrian stone sculptures of demi-goddesses, pictured spreading the 'water of life'
Weeks after overrunning Mosul and much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland, ISIS militants rigged the shrine and blew it up, sparking global outrage.
ISIS militants believe giving special veneration to tombs and relics is against the teachings of Islam.
The shrine holding Jonah's tomb is located on top of a hill in eastern Mosul, a city in northern Iraq with a population of around 660,000 that was retaken from ISIS control by Iraqi army forces last month.
Archaeologists have been picking through ancient rubble left behind by the terror group as they attempt to salvage surviving artefacts.
They told the Telegraph that ISIS dug tunnels deep under the shrine and into a previously undiscovered and untouched palace dating back to 600BC.
These tunnels were not professionally built, leaving them unstable and at risk of collapse within the next few weeks, burying the ancient palace.
'We fear it could all collapse at any time,' entombing the treasures, said archaeologist Layla Salih, who is in charge of antiquities for the Nineveh province where the shrine stands.
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The Nebi Yunus shrine - containing what Muslims and Christians believe to be the tomb of Jonah or 'Yunnus' as he is known in the Koran - was destroyed by ISIS militants in July 2014. This image shows another archaeological find in the ISIS tunnels
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The impressive maze of tunnels dug by the jihadists to carry out excavations is located in the heart of the hill that houses the tomb of the Prophet Jonah. These demi-goddess sculptures were carved into the walls over 2,000 years ago
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This image shows a winged bull carved into the palace, with archaeologist Layla Salih (right), who is leading a five-person team carrying out the emergency documentation of Jonah's tomb
'There are cave-ins in the tunnels every day.'
It had long been rumoured that the shrine shared a site with an ancient palace.
Excavations had previously been carried out by the Ottoman governor of Mosul in 1852.
The Iraqi department of antiques also studied the site in the 1950s.
But neither excavation had dug as far as the ISIS militants, leaving the palace undiscovered for 2,600 years.
The finding is the first example of ISIS militants tunnelling underneath historic sites to find artefacts to loot.
Within one of the ISIS tunnels archaeologists found a marble inscription of King Esarhaddon, thought to date back to the Assyrian empire in 672BC.
The palace was renovated and expanded by King Esarhaddon after it was built for his father Sennacherib.
It was partly destroyed during a ransacking as part of the Battle of Nineveh in 612 BC.
Only a handful of these 'cuneiform' slabs have ever been uncovered from the Esarhaddon period.
Archaeologists also unearthed two Assyrian empire-era winged bull sculptures within the Jihadist tunnels.
'We fear it could all collapse at any time,' entombing the treasures, said archaeologist Layla Salih, who is in charge of antiquities for the Nineveh province where the shrine stands.
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The Nebi Yunus shrine - containing what Muslims and Christians believe to be the tomb of Jonah or 'Yunnus' as he is known in the Koran - was destroyed by ISIS militants in July 2014. This image shows another archaeological find in the ISIS tunnels
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The impressive maze of tunnels dug by the jihadists to carry out excavations is located in the heart of the hill that houses the tomb of the Prophet Jonah. These demi-goddess sculptures were carved into the walls over 2,000 years ago
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This image shows a winged bull carved into the palace, with archaeologist Layla Salih (right), who is leading a five-person team carrying out the emergency documentation of Jonah's tomb
'There are cave-ins in the tunnels every day.'
It had long been rumoured that the shrine shared a site with an ancient palace.
Excavations had previously been carried out by the Ottoman governor of Mosul in 1852.
The Iraqi department of antiques also studied the site in the 1950s.
But neither excavation had dug as far as the ISIS militants, leaving the palace undiscovered for 2,600 years.
The finding is the first example of ISIS militants tunnelling underneath historic sites to find artefacts to loot.
Within one of the ISIS tunnels archaeologists found a marble inscription of King Esarhaddon, thought to date back to the Assyrian empire in 672BC.
The palace was renovated and expanded by King Esarhaddon after it was built for his father Sennacherib.
It was partly destroyed during a ransacking as part of the Battle of Nineveh in 612 BC.
Only a handful of these 'cuneiform' slabs have ever been uncovered from the Esarhaddon period.
Archaeologists also unearthed two Assyrian empire-era winged bull sculptures within the Jihadist tunnels.
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Excavations had previously been carried out by the Ottoman governor of Mosul in 1852. And the Iraqi department of antiques studied the site in the 1950s. But neither excavation had dug as far as the ISIS militants, who dug tunnels, such as those pictured here, deep into the earth
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The finding is the first example of ISIS militants tunnelling underneath historic sites to find artefacts to loot. This image shows archaeologist Layla Salih in one of the ISIS tunnels
Two murals in white marble show the winged bulls with only the sides and feet showing.
In another section of ISIS tunnel the archaeologists found Assyrian stone sculptures of a demi-goddess, pictured spreading the 'water of life' to protect humans.
Mrs Salih said that some of the larger sculptures were likely left behind by ISIS because they feared the hill might collapse.
Other removable artifacts, especially pottery, were certainly plundered, she said.
'I've never seen something like this in stone at this large size,' Professor Eleanor Robson, chair of the British Institute for the Study of Iraq, told The Telegraph.
Professor Robson suggested they may have been used to decorate the women's quarter of the palace.
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An Iraqi soldier standing in a section of excavated ISIS tunnel. It had long been rumoured that the shrine shared a site with an ancient palace. Excavations had previously been carried out by the Iraqi department of antiques in the 1950s, but they found nothing
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No previous excavation of the shrine went as far as the ISIS militant tunnels, including the one pictured here as an Iraqi soldier heads back to the surface had since 2014. This meant that the palace was left undiscovered for 2,600 years
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Mrs Salih, pictured here coming from the entrance of one of the ISIS tunnels, is leading the five-person team carrying out the emergency documentation of Jonah's tomb. She believes that ISIS forces looted hundreds of objects before Mosul was retaken by Iraqi forces
'The objects don't match descriptions of what we thought was down there, so Isil's destruction has actually led us to a fantastic find.'
'There's a huge amount of history down there, not just ornamental stones.
'It is an opportunity to finally map the treasure-house of the world's first great empire, from the period of its greatest success.'
Mrs Salih, who is leading the five-person team carrying out the emergency documentation of Jonah's tomb, believes that ISIS forces looted hundreds of objects before Mosul was retaken by Iraqi forces.
'I can only imagine how much Daesh discovered down there before we got here,' she said.
'We believe they took many of the artefacts, such as pottery and smaller pieces, away to sell. But what they left will be studied and will add a lot to our knowledge of the period.'
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'I can only imagine how much Daesh discovered down there before we got here,' Mrs Salah (pictured) said. 'We believe they took many of the artefacts, such as pottery and smaller pieces, away to sell. But what they left will be studied'
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The Nebi Yunus shrine - containing what Muslims and Christians believe to be the tomb of Jonah or 'Yunnus' as he is known in the Koran - was destroyed by ISIS militants in July 2014
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This image reveals the damage caused by ISIS to the site of Jonah's tomb. As the city of Mosul was finally retaken, Iraqi forces battling Islamic State unveiled the destruction left behind by the jihadis last month in a series of devastating photographs
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Weeks after overrunning Mosul and much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland, ISIS militants rigged the shrine, pictured here, and blew it up, sparking global outrage
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The shrine holding Jonah's tomb is located on top of a hill in eastern Mosul, a city in northern Iraq with a population of around 660,000 that was retaken from ISIS control by Iraqi army forces last month
'There's a huge amount of history down there, not just ornamental stones.
'It is an opportunity to finally map the treasure-house of the world's first great empire, from the period of its greatest success.'
Mrs Salih, who is leading the five-person team carrying out the emergency documentation of Jonah's tomb, believes that ISIS forces looted hundreds of objects before Mosul was retaken by Iraqi forces.
'I can only imagine how much Daesh discovered down there before we got here,' she said.
'We believe they took many of the artefacts, such as pottery and smaller pieces, away to sell. But what they left will be studied and will add a lot to our knowledge of the period.'
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'I can only imagine how much Daesh discovered down there before we got here,' Mrs Salah (pictured) said. 'We believe they took many of the artefacts, such as pottery and smaller pieces, away to sell. But what they left will be studied'
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The Nebi Yunus shrine - containing what Muslims and Christians believe to be the tomb of Jonah or 'Yunnus' as he is known in the Koran - was destroyed by ISIS militants in July 2014
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This image reveals the damage caused by ISIS to the site of Jonah's tomb. As the city of Mosul was finally retaken, Iraqi forces battling Islamic State unveiled the destruction left behind by the jihadis last month in a series of devastating photographs
+15
Weeks after overrunning Mosul and much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland, ISIS militants rigged the shrine, pictured here, and blew it up, sparking global outrage
+15
The shrine holding Jonah's tomb is located on top of a hill in eastern Mosul, a city in northern Iraq with a population of around 660,000 that was retaken from ISIS control by Iraqi army forces last month
As the city of Mosul was finally retaken, Iraqi forces battling Islamic State unveiled the destruction left behind by the jihadis last month in a series of devastating photographs.
The terrorist group who levelled many of the city's most well-known Muslim artefacts and buildings.
'We retook control of Nabi Yunus area... raised the Iraqi flag above the tomb,' said Sabah al-Noman, spokesman for the Counter-Terrorism Service spearheading the Mosul offensive.
The destruction of all bridges over the river in air strikes has made it difficult for IS fighters in east Mosul to resupply or escape to the west bank, which they still fully control.
The western side of Mosul, which is home to the old city and some of the jihadists' traditional bastions, was always tipped as likely to offer the most resistance.
The terrorist group who levelled many of the city's most well-known Muslim artefacts and buildings.
'We retook control of Nabi Yunus area... raised the Iraqi flag above the tomb,' said Sabah al-Noman, spokesman for the Counter-Terrorism Service spearheading the Mosul offensive.
The destruction of all bridges over the river in air strikes has made it difficult for IS fighters in east Mosul to resupply or escape to the west bank, which they still fully control.
The western side of Mosul, which is home to the old city and some of the jihadists' traditional bastions, was always tipped as likely to offer the most resistance.
[h=3]WHO IS PROPHET JONAH OR 'YUNIS'? ISLAMIC AND CHRISTIAN VERSIONS[/h]The Prophet Yunis is widely regarded as the Islamic version of the prophet perhaps more commonly referred to in the Bible as Jonah.
Jonah was famously swallowed by a whale or a fish, depending on the literature, and his Islamic narrative has some similarities as well as substantial differences to the Hebrew Bible story.
The Quran describes Jonah as a righteous preacher of the message of God but a messenger who, one day, fled from his mission because of its overwhelming difficulty.
The Quran says that Jonah made it onto a ship but, because of the powerfully stormy weather, the men aboard the ship suggested casting lots to throw off the individual responsible.
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The Prophet Yunis is widely regarded as the Islamic version of the prophet perhaps more commonly referred to in the Bible as Jonah
When the lots were cast three times and Jonah's name came out each time, he was thrown into the open ocean that night.
A gigantic fish came and swallowed him, and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish repenting and glorifying God.
The Christian version of the story goes that a huge storm arises and the sailors, realising it is no ordinary storm, discover Jonah is to blame.
Jonah admits this and tells them if he is thrown overboard, the storm will cease.
The sailors try to dump as much cargo as possible before giving up, but feel forced to throw him overboard, at which point the sea calms.
The sailors then offer sacrifices to God.
Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large fish in whose belly he spends three days and three nights.
While in the great fish, Jonah prays to God in his affliction and commits to thanksgiving and to paying what he has vowed.
God commands the fish to spew Jonah out.
Jonah was famously swallowed by a whale or a fish, depending on the literature, and his Islamic narrative has some similarities as well as substantial differences to the Hebrew Bible story.
The Quran describes Jonah as a righteous preacher of the message of God but a messenger who, one day, fled from his mission because of its overwhelming difficulty.
The Quran says that Jonah made it onto a ship but, because of the powerfully stormy weather, the men aboard the ship suggested casting lots to throw off the individual responsible.
+15
The Prophet Yunis is widely regarded as the Islamic version of the prophet perhaps more commonly referred to in the Bible as Jonah
When the lots were cast three times and Jonah's name came out each time, he was thrown into the open ocean that night.
A gigantic fish came and swallowed him, and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish repenting and glorifying God.
The Christian version of the story goes that a huge storm arises and the sailors, realising it is no ordinary storm, discover Jonah is to blame.
Jonah admits this and tells them if he is thrown overboard, the storm will cease.
The sailors try to dump as much cargo as possible before giving up, but feel forced to throw him overboard, at which point the sea calms.
The sailors then offer sacrifices to God.
Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large fish in whose belly he spends three days and three nights.
While in the great fish, Jonah prays to God in his affliction and commits to thanksgiving and to paying what he has vowed.
God commands the fish to spew Jonah out.
[h=3]THE UNDISCOVERED PALACE[/h]ISIS dug tunnels under the shrine where Jonah's tomb is held.
They were looking for valuable artefacts buried beneath.
Within one of a series of the ISIS tunnels, now abandoned, archaeologist Layla Salih found a marble inscription of King Esarhaddon, thought to date back to the Assyrian empire in 672BC.
The palace was renovated and expanded by King Esarhaddon after it was built for his father Sennacherib.
It was partly destroyed during the Sack of Nineveh in 612 BC.
They were looking for valuable artefacts buried beneath.
Within one of a series of the ISIS tunnels, now abandoned, archaeologist Layla Salih found a marble inscription of King Esarhaddon, thought to date back to the Assyrian empire in 672BC.
The palace was renovated and expanded by King Esarhaddon after it was built for his father Sennacherib.
It was partly destroyed during the Sack of Nineveh in 612 BC.
They threw the Jews out. That's Step One in destroying a civilized society.
The Prophet Jonah
By Jacob Isaacs
Published and copyrighted by Kehot Publication Society
One of the greatest prophets during the time of Jeroboam II was Jonah the son of Amitai, who, as a prophet disciple, had anointed Jehu and who, therefore, enjoyed the king's benevolence. Once G‑d commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, one of the largest cities of that time and foretell its destruction, because the evil of its inhabitants had reached the limit. The mission, however, was not to Jonah's liking. Nineveh was a bitter enemy of Israel, and Jonah would have liked to see its destruction. If he should succeed in his mission and Nineveh would be spared, it would remain a constant threat to Israel. Jonah therefore decided to seek escape. He boarded a ship that sailed for Tarshish, hoping to forget about his mission.
Once the prophet was on the high seas, G‑d caused a storm to break that threatened to tear the ship asunder. The sailors were frightened and each one prayed to his god. Jonah, however, lay down to sleep. The captain of the ship, seeing the sleeping man, went over to him and reprimanded him for sleeping in that fateful hour, instead of praying to G‑d.
Meanwhile the sailors drew lots to find out whose fault it was that this misfortune had been brought upon them. The lot fell upon Jonah. When the sailors questioned him as to who he was, whence he had come, and what his business was, he told them that he was a Jew and a servant of G‑d, the Creator of heaven and earth. Then the sailors asked what they should do in order to quiet the raging sea and save their ship with all aboard. Jonah replied that all they had to do was to throw him overboard, and the storm would immediately die down, since it had been caused by his refusal to obey G‑d's command. At first the sailors did not want to do as Jonah asked. But the storm grew fiercer and the end was seemingly unavoidable. Very reluctantly, the sailors threw Jonah into the water and the storm ceased at once.
As soon as Jonah was in the water, G‑d sent a large fish to swallow Jonah alive. Three days and three nights Jonah stayed within the fish. In distress, he prayed to G‑d to save him, and G‑d ordered the fish to eject Jonah and set him on dry land.
Jonah in Nineveh
Again G‑d ordered Jonah to go to Nineveh to convey the Divine message. This time the prophet traveled to Nineveh to carry out his mission. Upon his arrival in the city, Jonah stepped right into the middle of the busy thoroughfare and announced that the city would perish in forty days. The prophet's solemn warning electrified the city. The residents believed the prophecy and repented. They fasted and wore sackcloth; even the king himself took off his royal robes and put on the garbs of mourning. Everyone in the city honestly and sincerely decided to abandon his evil past. All the people truly tried to mend their ways. Possessions unjustly acquired were returned to their rightful owners, and false judgments were revised. G‑d saw that they were sincere in their repentance and accepted it. Nineveh was saved.
Jonah was displeased at this change of events. He had hoped that the doom of Nineveh, had the inhabitants of that city not repented, would forever rid his people Israel of one of its bitter enemies. He built himself a hut outside the city in which to live the life of a recluse. Jonah was anxious to know what the fate of the city would be. It was a very hot day, and G‑d made a plant grow to give Jonah shade and protect him from the sting of the hot sun. Jonah was overjoyed with the plant. Then G‑d sent a worm that stung the plant and made it wither. When the protection of the plant had been withdrawn, the sun beat mercilessly upon Jonah's head until he became faint, and wished to die. Then the weary prophet heard G‑d's words: "You are sorry for the plant for which you have neither labored, nor made it grow; which came up in one night and perished in the next; shall I not then, spare Nineveh, the great city, wherein more than twelve times ten thousand people live who do not know how to discern between their right and their left hand (i.e. children), and many animals in addition?"1
Footnotes
1.The story of the prophet Jonah is recorded in the Book of Jonah, which is part of the Bible, and is read in the synagogue every year on the Day of Atonement. Its powerful message is a timely reminder of G‑d's mercy to all who return to Him sincerely.
WHO IS PROPHET JONAH OR 'YUNIS'? ISLAMIC AND CHRISTIAN VERSIONS
The Prophet Yunis is widely regarded as the Islamic version of the prophet perhaps more commonly referred to in the Bible as Jonah.
Jonah was famously swallowed by a whale or a fish, depending on the literature, and his Islamic narrative has some similarities as well as substantial differences to the Hebrew Bible story.
The Quran describes Jonah as a righteous preacher of the message of God but a messenger who, one day, fled from his mission because of its overwhelming difficulty.
The Quran says that Jonah made it onto a ship but, because of the powerfully stormy weather, the men aboard the ship suggested casting lots to throw off the individual responsible.
+15
The Prophet Yunis is widely regarded as the Islamic version of the prophet perhaps more commonly referred to in the Bible as Jonah
When the lots were cast three times and Jonah's name came out each time, he was thrown into the open ocean that night.
A gigantic fish came and swallowed him, and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish repenting and glorifying God.
The Christian version of the story goes that a huge storm arises and the sailors, realising it is no ordinary storm, discover Jonah is to blame.
Jonah admits this and tells them if he is thrown overboard, the storm will cease.
The sailors try to dump as much cargo as possible before giving up, but feel forced to throw him overboard, at which point the sea calms.
The sailors then offer sacrifices to God.
Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large fish in whose belly he spends three days and three nights.
While in the great fish, Jonah prays to God in his affliction and commits to thanksgiving and to paying what he has vowed.
God commands the fish to spew Jonah out.
Whoever wrote this summary is a bit ignorant. First of all the Hebrew wording is "huge fish" which some English translations translate as whale.
Also, it's not a "Christian" version they are describing, but the Hebrew Tanakh. There is no "Christian" version, we just believe the Hebrew version.
Certainly not the Quran "version" which is just a stolen distortion from the Hebrew Scriptures, just as MoScumad stole everything else he had.
