 Jerwan Aqueduct | |
  Location of Jerwan in Iraq | |
 | |
| Location | Nineveh Governorate,Iraq |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°40′11″N43°23′37″E / 36.66972°N 43.39361°E /36.66972; 43.39361 |
| Type | Aqueduct |
| Part of | Atrush Canal System |
| History | |
| Builder | Sennacherib |
| Material | Limestone, waterproof cement |
| Founded | 703–690 BC |
| Periods | Neo-Assyrian |
| Cultures | Assyrian |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Well-preserved |
| Public access | Yes |
| Considered one of the oldest aqueducts in the world, possibly predating Roman aqueducts by 500 years. | |
Jerwan is a locality north ofMosul in theNineveh Province ofIraq. The site is clear of vegetation and is sparsely settled.
The site is famous for the ruins of an enormousaqueduct crossing the Khenis River, constructed of more than two million dressed stones and using stone arches and waterproofcement.[1] Some consider it to be the world's oldest aqueduct,[2] predating anything theRomans built by five centuries.
The aqueduct is part of the largerAtrush Canal built by theAssyrian kingSennacherib between 703 and 690BC to water Ninevah's extensive gardens,[3] with water diverted from Khenis gorge, 50km to the north.
An inscription on the aqueduct reads:"Sennacherib king of the world king of Assyria. Over a great distance I had a watercourse directed to the environs of Nineveh, joining together the waters.... Over steep-sided valleys I spanned an aqueduct of white limestone blocks, I made those waters flow over it."[4]
Some scholars[5][6] believe the legends of theHanging Gardens of Babylon were actuallySennacherib’s extensive gardens inNineveh,[7] notBabylon.[8]
In 2025, the aqueduct was used as part of an advertisement forLexus, where a car was driven on top of the structure and filmed for an advertisement.[9] The filming of the commercial aroused controversy from observers, especially theAssyrian community, althoughToyota stated that the intent of the ad was to embrace the cultural heritage of Iraq and that the site had previously been unguarded.
Media related toJerwan at Wikimedia Commons
