Burnt Palace at Kalhu

The Burnt Palace was first excavated by William Kennett Loftus in 1854–55. This royal residence at Kalhu was further investigated by Max Mallowan in 1951–57. Nine building phases have been identified: (A–C) pre-Ashurnasirpal II; (D) earliest phase of the Burnt Palace (ninth century, presumably Ashurnasirpal II or Shalmaneser III); (E) second phase of the Burnt Palace, the so-called “box level” (probably Adad-nārārī III); (F) final phase of the Burnt Palace, the so-called “ivory level” (eighth and seventh century), which was destroyed by fire; (G) post-612 BC, squatter occupation; (H) Achaemenid occupation?; and (I) Hellenistic occupation.

The Burnt Palace, which was located in the southeast quadrant of the Kalhu Citadel, might have served as a royal residence of Sargon II. Letters addressed to this eighth-century-BC Assyrian king were discovered in the reception room. Bricks bearing his name were also found in the debris of that building.