Activist and researcher in archaeology and heritage, Ahmed Tah, launched an initiative today titled "Reviving the Sun of the City of Hatra," calling on relevant authorities to invest in and document an annual astronomical phenomenon that occurs twice a year within the temples and colonnades of the archaeological Kingdom of Hatra, southwest of Nineveh, similar to what is seen at global archaeological sites like the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt.
Tah explained in a press interview that the sun's rays precisely align on the façades of specific arches and colonnades within the Hatra temple complex on the 22nd of October and the 22nd of February each year, citing what was documented by the late researcher Dr. Majid Abdullah Al-Shams in his study titled "Hatra, the Arab Capital."
He indicated that this astronomical event goes beyond its ceremonial aspect to reflect the ingenuity of the ancient Iraqi engineer in architectural planning related to the life and economic seasons.
The archaeologist pointed out that these two dates represent crucial points in the agricultural calendar of Mesopotamia, where October 22 signifies the peak transition towards the autumn and winter seasons and the beginning of planting strategic crops like wheat and barley, while February 22 represents the retreat of cold waves and the onset of the spring/summer season for transplanting seedlings and pruning trees.
Tah expressed his willingness to develop a comprehensive fieldwork plan that includes identifying and scientifically documenting observation points in collaboration with media and research entities, with the aim of placing Hatra, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, on the path of international astronomical and historical tourism.
The Kingdom of Hatra (the Kingdom of Arabaya) located in the desert of Al-Jazeera southwest of Mosul, was the first Iraqi site to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985.
The city is renowned for its unique blend of Eastern and Hellenistic architecture and was a pivotal religious and commercial center during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC until its fall in the mid-3rd century AD.
The architecture of the temples in Hatra is linked to the cult of "Shamash" (the Sun God), who was considered the main deity of the city and its official emblem, where Hatra builders relied on complex astronomical studies to orient the grand colonnade gates and temple windows towards the sunrise and sunset paths on specific days related to the equinoxes and solstices, which allowed the temple to function as a "stone astronomical calendar" governing the times of festivals and agricultural seasons in the region, a phenomenon that still requires contemporary archaeological surveys to highlight its scientific and touristic value.