A joint international team of archaeologists has announced the discovery of the primary foundations of the E-babbar, the 'Shining House' dedicated to the Sun God Shamash, in the ancient city of Sippar. The discovery includes a massive ziggurat-style platform and a series of ritual chambers containing over 500 clay tablets written in late Babylonian cuneiform. These texts detail the temple's daily operations and its role as a supreme court for legal disputes during the Neo-Babylonian period.
The team also identified a rare limestone altar featuring a relief of the winged solar disc, a hallmark of Shamash's iconography. This find is significant as it provides physical evidence of the continuity of solar worship in Mesopotamia through the transition to the Hellenistic era. The Iraqi Ministry of Culture has designated the site for immediate heritage protection to prevent looting and ensure long-term stratigraphic study.