France Supports Archaeology and Heritage in Kurdistan

October 20, 2025

On Thursday, France’s Consulate General in Erbil hosted a reception at the French Institute of the Near East in the Erbil Citadel in honor of the French archaeological missions active in the Kurdistan Region, highlighting the region’s rich heritage and importance for archaeology.

France’s Consul General Yann Braem told Kurdistan Chronicle that archeology is high on the agenda of the French diplomatic missions in Baghdad and Erbil.

“All our visitors are interested in the archaeology of Kurdistan,” Consul General Braem said. “We also organize and support scientific exchanges. This year, for example, the International Congress on archaeology of the Ancient Near East – the most important scientific event dedicated to this area – took place in Lyon in June, with the participation of the Kurdistan archaeological teams.

“So there is a real political commitment to make sure that we are working together with our Kurdish partners and all the teams on supporting scientific research.”

Consul General Braem highlighted that the French Institute for the Near East has developed extensive cooperation with Salahaddin University-Erbil, the University of Kurdistan-Hewler, the University of Soran, and several others, including archaeology departments in Duhok, Sulaymaniyah, and Erbil.

“There is a very active scientific collaboration here,” he said. “We also have a library and a collection of artifacts, which allow Kurdish and foreign archaeologists to come and study the materials preserved here.”

He also noted that French archeologists often come to the Kurdistan Region to conduct excavations in Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Erbil. “We have in the Citadel of Erbil the only international excavation mission, and on the first days of their excavations, one year ago, they found amazing artifacts that were really moving a lot of things in our scientific knowledge,” he said.

Consul General Braem emphasized the importance of archaeology for advancing scientific knowledge and helping citizens understand their origins.

He also highlighted the need to promote and valorize cultural heritage so that the public can visit archaeological sites, support museums, and preserve historical landmarks – such as those in Amedi, where French and Kurdish experts are working together to protect its multi-religious heritage under a project supported by France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Alif, the international alliance for the preservation of heritage.

He added that this kind of cooperation is essential to ensuring people remain connected to their history. Moreover, the development of archaeological and heritage sites can attract tourists.

“Tourists can also take into consideration the very important historical fabric that is present in Kurdistan. That helps the tourism sector, and at the end of the day, it supports the local economy, which is very, very important,” said Consul General Braem.

During the event, Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw thanked the French archaeological team for their cooperation with the Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage in Erbil and underlined the collaboration between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and French archaeologists and international institutions.

He also reiterated the continuous support from the KRG for cultural and scientific projects aimed at preserving and displaying the historical and archaeological treasures of the Kurdistan Region.

On the sidelines of the event, Kayfi Mustafa, General Director of Antiquities in the Kurdistan Region, emphasized that support from France’s Consulate and other foreign missions is vital for archaeological work.

“We are the authority that grants permission to each archaeological mission to work in Kurdistan,” Mustafa explained. “Without a support letter from their respective consulates or embassies, it would be impossible for them to operate. Currently, there are 42 archaeological missions in the Kurdistan Region – French, German, Hungarian, Polish, British, American, Japanese, and others. Each receives backing from their own consulates. France alone supports over seven missions, all of which are doing excellent work.

“Through surveys and excavations, we have made remarkable discoveries,” he added. “For instance, the Kunara site has provided scientific evidence suggesting that people once moved through the Zagros Mountains – the first steps of civilization.”

The Kunara archeological site lies in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate, was first surveyed in 2020, and contains information on the Lullubi, a Bronze Age Hurrian tribal group from the Sharazor plain. In the 3rd millennium BC, they had their own state in the area called Lullubum.

The archeological mission in Kunara is supported by France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Aline Tenu, a French archeologist who heads the archeological mission in Piramagroon, told Kurdistan Chronicle that excavations at the site started in 2012 and are still ongoing. “We have no plans for other sites, since it is such a wonderful site that we don’t have time to excavate something else and it’s completely unique.

“Archeology excavation started in Kurdistan only 15 years ago, so everything in Iraqi Kurdistan is new,” she added.

Kunara is not the oldest site in Iraqi Kurdistan; for instance, there is the Shanidar cave in the Barzan region, where Neanderthals lived between 35,000 and 75,000 years ago. The site was highlighted in a recent Netflix documentary.

“I believe Kurdistan was among the first lands where civilization began, and future research will shed even more light on this,” Mustafa concluded.