Iraq in the past: 35 old photos

Tom Spirit
December 10, 2023
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Updated on December 10, 2023
Tom Spirit

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Archives photos of Iraq

I don’t know about you, but I love immersing myself in the ancient times of the countries I visit and travelling through their history to feel the soul that animated the Old World and understand their past so as to better grasp their present.

In this article, I share with you my selection of old photographs of Iraq, from various sources, from the cities of Baghdad – Samarra – Sinjar – Erbil – Karbala – Najaf – Mosul – Khorsabad – Lalish – Akre – Rawanduz and other places in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Old and rares Archives Photos of Iraq — 35 Old photographs that shows you how Iraq looked like in the past time

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Archives photographs of Iraq:

Baghdad
Taq Kasra
Ur
Karbala
Babylon
Dur-Kurigalzu
Najaf
Khorsabad
Erbil
Al-Kifl
Mosul
Sinjar
Samarra
Iraqi Kurdistan

Baghdad

1. Baghdad | 1938

2. Baghdad | 1900s

Ancient photo of Baghdad 1900 — Ancient photograph of Baghdad | 1900s

3. Baghdad | 1940s

Old photo of Baghdad — Children bathing with water buffalo in Baghdad | 1940s

4. Baghdad | 1920s

Iraqi Jews in Al Rasheed Street, Baghdad — Jewish Iraqis exchanging money on the famous Al-Rasheed street | 1920s

5. Baghdad | 1932

Old pic of Baghdad, Al Khadimiya Mosque — Al-Khadimiya Mosque | 1932

6. Baghdad | 1910s

Al-Khadimiya Mosque in 1910 — Al-Khadimiya Mosque | 1910s

7. Baghdad | 1910s

Iraqi Jew Family in Baghdad — A Jewish family in Baghdad in the 1910s

8. Baghdad | 1940s

1940s photo of Baghdad — Young men in Baghdad in the 1940s

Taq Kasra

1. Ctesiphon Arch, Taq Kasra | 1950s

Ur

1. Ziggurat of Ur | 1920

Old photo of Ur during excavations in 1920 — Ur Ziggurat excavations | 1920

Karbala

1. Karbala | 1930s

2. Karbala | 1934

Karbala in the past time — The entrance to the shrine of Imam Hussain in Karbala | 1934

3. Karbala | 1932

Old photo of Karbala Street — A street in Karbala | 1932

4. Karbala | Unknown date

Karbala Old city — Ancient photo of Karbala | ?

Babylon

1. Babylon | 1932

Dur-Kurigalzu

1. Aqar Quf, Dur-Kurigalzu | 1915

Ancient photo Ziggurat of Iraq — Dur-Kurigalzu Ziggurat | 1915

Najaf

1. Najaf | 1910s

Khorsabad

1. Khorsabad | 1853

2. Khorsabad | 1933

Archive photo of archeological site in Iraq — Rediscovery and excavation of the citadel of Sargon II | 1933

3. Khorsabad | 1933

Archives photos of Iraq — Excavation of the citadel of Sargon II | 1933

4. Khorsabad

Iraq in the ancient time — Excavation of the citadel of Sargon II

Erbil

1. Erbil | 1940s

2. Erbil | 1938

An old photo of Erbil in 1938 — A photograph of Erbil and the entrance to the citadel | 1938

3. Erbil | 1950

Old aerial photo of Erbil — Aerial photo of Erbil | 1950

Al-Kifl

1. Ezekiel’s Tomb | 1932

Mosul

1. Mosul | 1890s

2. Mosul | 1932

Ancient and rare photo of Mosul — The emblematic leaning Al-Hadaba minaret of the Al-Nuri mosque in Mosul | 1932

Sinjar

1. Sinjar | 1950s

2. Sinjar | 1950s

Old Yazidi portrait in Iraq — A young Yezidi woman in Sinjar | 1950s

Samarra

1. Samarra | Unknown date

2. Samarra | Unknown date

Old photo of Samarra — The Great Mosque of Samarra

Iraqi Kurdistan

1. Koi | 1920

2. Akre | 1900s

Akre in the ancient times — An old photograph of the village of Akre | 1900s

3. Rawanduz | 1918

Old and rare photo of Iraqi Kurdistan — An old photo of Rawanduz, almost indiscernible | 1918

4. Sulaymaniya | 1950

Kurdish womans in traditionnal clothes — Kurdish women in traditional dress in Sulaymaniya | 1950

5. Lalish | 1951

old archival photograph of Yazidis in Lalish in Iraq — Worshippers in Lalish, the holy city of Yezidism | 1951

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About the author

Tom Spirit

Hey, it's Tom! Welcolme to Spirit Travelers. I'm a nomad traveler for several years and I share my experiences by publishing content and travel guides on this blog. Find some of the most popular countries to visit but also off the beaten track destinations.

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