Iraq discovers pre-Islamic castle

              Iraq discovers 1,400 -year old palace in Babil province
              Iraqi archaeologists have discovered a
              1,400-year-old palace dating back to the
              pre-Islamic era in southern Iraq.

              They came across the palace during an
              excavation in Babil province on the site of
              what was the city of Babylon about 100
              kilometres from the capital Baghdad.

              The head of the excavation team,
              Abdul-Hameed Aggar, said the palace contains
              many artefacts including statues, coins,
              pottery, illustrations and glass objects.

              He said the builders had been technically
              innovative when building the palace, noting
              that bricks gilded with engraved gypsum had
              been used.

              Aggar said other houses and palaces
              discovered during the excavation were
              constructed in Parthians and Sassanids style.

              The two were Persian dynasties that reigned
              between the third century BC and the seventh
              century AD.

              Last December, Iraq said that its achaeologists
              had found 375 ancient items dating back about
              5,000 years in Bassanmawa, 170 kilometres
              south of Baghdad.