Archaeologists at Kani Shaie in northern Iraq have uncovered a large Uruk‑period (c. 3300–3100 B.C.E.) building that may have served as a cultic or ceremonial space. The structure features Uruk‑style decorative wall cones and produced artifacts including a gold pendant fragment and an Uruk‑period cylindrical seal. Located about 300 miles north of Uruk, the discovery suggests Kani Shaie may have played a more central role in regional political and administrative networks than previously believed. Further excavation and analysis are underway to confirm the monument's function and significance.
Major Uruk‑Era Monument Discovered at Kani Shaie — Possible Cultic Space Challenges Views of Early Mesopotamian Networks
Archaeologists at Kani Shaie in northern Iraq have uncovered a large Uruk‑period (c. 3300–3100 B.C.E.) building that may have served as a cultic or ceremonial space. The structure features Uruk‑style decorative wall cones and produced artifacts including a gold pendant fragment and an Uruk‑period cylindrical seal. Located about 300 miles north of Uruk, the discovery suggests Kani Shaie may have played a more central role in regional political and administrative networks than previously believed. Further excavation and analysis are underway to confirm the monument's function and significance.
02:57, 07.11.2025Culture
Monumental building from the Uruk period found at Kani Shaie may be a cultic or ceremonial space
Archaeologists working at the Kani Shaie site in the foothills of northern Iraq have exposed a large, 5,000‑year‑old building that the excavation team describes as a potential "cultic space" or official ceremonial structure. The discovery was announced in 2025 by the Centre for Studies in Archaeology, Arts, and Heritage Sciences.
Who led the work: The field team includes André Tomé, Maria da Conceição Lopes and Steve Renette. They date the structure to the Uruk period (roughly 3300–3100 B.C.E.), a formative era when the southern city of Uruk developed some of the earliest known urban, administrative and writing systems.
Why it matters: Kani Shaie lies roughly 300 miles north of Uruk and had often been considered a secondary or peripheral settlement. The size, architectural style and associated finds from this building suggest Kani Shaie may have been more integral to regional political and cultural networks than previously thought.
Architectural evidence linking Kani Shaie to Uruk traditions
The structure retains characteristic elements associated with Uruk monumental architecture, notably decorative wall cones made of baked clay or stone. These cones were frequently painted and arranged to create geometric mosaics — a visual vocabulary widely used in Uruk public and ceremonial buildings. The team is conducting detailed analyses to confirm the building's monumental character and original function.
Artifacts that imply wealth and administration
Excavators recovered a fragment of a gold pendant, which the researchers interpret as an indicator of social display and access to precious materials in this community. The team also uncovered a cylindrical seal dated to the Uruk period. Seals of this type are strongly associated with administrative practice and hierarchical control in early Mesopotamian cities, reinforcing the possibility of bureaucratic connections between Kani Shaie and Uruk.
“If the monumental nature of this building is confirmed — which we are now investigating in detail — the discovery could transform our understanding of Uruk’s relationship with surrounding regions, showing that sites such as Kani Shaie were not marginal, but rather key actors in shaping cultural and political networks.” — Research team statement
Researchers say further excavation, architectural recording and laboratory analyses (including materials studies and stratigraphic work) are needed to confirm the building’s function and its broader implications for early urban networks in the Fertile Crescent. If upheld, the find will prompt scholars to reassess how influence, administration and ritual practice spread between southern Mesopotamia and communities to the north during the fourth and third millennia B.C.E.
Context: Uruk is widely regarded as one of the world’s first metropolises, known for innovations such as early writing and numerical systems, planned street grids, and complex administrative divisions. Discoveries like the one at Kani Shaie help archaeologists refine models of regional interaction during the origins of urban civilization.