NASIRIYAH, Iraq — At the beginning of February, a British archaeological excavation mission unveiled at the ruins of Ur a large trade center that is the oldest in the world, going back to the Old Babylonian period (2006-1595 BCE). Ur is a historical site in Sumer city mentioned in the Old Testament and located in Dhi Qar province, 375 kilometers (233 miles) south of Baghdad.
This discovery confirmed the exceptional importance of the ruins of Ur, which are still unexplored. Despite the poor security situation in Iraq, archaeological excavation has been accelerating in recent years, in search of ruins still buried in this area.