Spy Satellites Uncover Ancient Iraqi Battlefield

Declassified 1970s U.S. spy satellite images have helped a British-Iraqi archaeological team identify the site of the historic Battle of al-Qadisiyah in Iraq, a decisive seventh-century conflict that facilitated the spread of Islam. The site, located near Kufa, was identified using remote sensing techniques and confirmed by ground surveys, revealing features like a trench and fortresses. This discovery is part of a broader effort to document endangered archaeological sites in Iraq, a region rich in history but affected by decades of conflict.