A team of archaeologists led by Dr. William Deadman from the Department of Archaeology at Durham University has successfully pinpointed the site of the historic Battle of al-Qadisiyyah. This battle, which took place between 637 and 638 CE, is known as a key confrontation in the expansion of Islam beyond the Arabian Peninsula, culminating in a decisive victory for the Muslim Arabs. Despite the historical significance of this event, its exact location had until now remained uncertain due to the lack of specific archaeological evidence.

The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah represents a turning point in Islamic history, as it marked the end of the Sassanian Empire’s resistance to the Islamic forces. This clash not only consolidated the spread of Islam but also facilitated its influence across Persian territories and beyond, establishing a new era of cultural control and development under Islamic rule.

Dr. Deadman, a specialist in archaeological remote sensing, was conducting a remote study with the initial aim of mapping the pilgrimage route known as the Darb Zubaydah. This historic route was used by pilgrims on their way to the holy sites in Mecca, and the mapping project involved a detailed comparison of U.S. spy satellite images from the 1970s with modern photographs, as well as historical texts documenting the route’s waypoints.

Battle of al-Qadisiyyah
Location of the al-Qadisiyyah survey area in south-western Iraq. Credit: W.M Deadman / NASA

However, while analyzing these images and texts, the research team realized that certain sites and structures described in historical documents matched elements visible in the satellite images. These findings ultimately led to the identification of what the team believes to be the exact location of the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, situated about 30 kilometers south of Kufa, in the Najaf Governorate in present-day Iraq.

During their investigations, the team discovered a double wall approximately six miles long, which connected a military complex on the edge of the desert with a large settlement at the boundary of the southern Mesopotamian alluvial plain. This geographic feature, extending across inhospitable terrain, closely aligned with historical accounts of the battle and the waypoints of the Darb Zubaydah pilgrimage route.

This structure appears to have served as a strategic link connecting key areas of the region, facilitating military movement, commerce, and pilgrimage. The double wall may have played a crucial role during the conflict, providing defensive ground that could have been leveraged by the Muslim Arab forces.

Battle of al-Qadisiyyah
1973 KH9 imagery of the main features discovered. Credit: W.M Deadman / United States Geological Survey

The team of archaeologists also collaborated with colleagues from Al-Qadisiyah University in Iraq, who contributed additional evidence obtained through field studies in the area. These field findings not only supported the initial hypothesis based on satellite images but also provided key data for a better understanding of the infrastructure and settlements present at the time of the battle.

Thanks to this collaboration, the team was able to more confidently identify two of the waypoints along the Darb Zubaydah route: al-Qadisiyyah and al-‘Udhayb. These sites, mentioned in historical records, were crucial for pilgrimage logistics and would have served as supply and rest stops for both armies and pilgrims.

The combination of advanced remote sensing techniques, historical satellite images, and international collaboration has helped unravel one of the longest-standing mysteries in Islamic history. The identification of the site of the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah not only sheds light on a highly significant historical event but also demonstrates the value of modern technology in archaeology and the reconstruction of ancient events.

This breakthrough also underscores the importance of pilgrimage routes as valuable sources of historical information. Beyond their religious function, these paths connected regions, cultures, and armies, forming a network that has often left crucial archaeological traces for understanding the history of the Islamic world and the political dynamics of the era.

SOURCES

Durham University

Deadman WM, Jotheri J, Hopper K, Almayali R, al-Luhaibi AA, Crane A. Locating al-Qadisiyyah: mapping Iraq’s most famous early Islamic conquest site. Antiquity. Published online 2024:1-8. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.185

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