The Lost Temples of Anahita: Archaeologists Unearth a Water Goddess Cult in the Zagros Mountains

Archaeological digs in Iraqi Kurdistan have uncovered a sanctuary dedicated to Anahita, the water goddess.
Besides being a fortress for military use, the ancient mountain settlement of Rabana-Merquly in modern Iraqi Kurdistan could have also been a ‘sanctuary’ dedicated to the ancient Persian water goddess Anahita. Architectural structures by a natural waterfall along with the remains of a possible fire altar point to the existence of a site of worship, according to Dr Michael Brown.

The researcher from the Institute of Prehistory, Protohistory, and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology of Heidelberg University has led excavations there for several years.