Khinnis Rock Reliefs

At Khinnis, where the Gomel river comes out of the hills, Sennacherib cut the intake for the canal that fed Nineveh, and the rock around it was carved to mark the work: panels showing the king before gods, a large relief of Ashur and Mullissu on their divine animals, colossal figures cut into the cliff, and cuneiform inscriptions recording the project. Several carved blocks lie in the riverbed below, fallen or unfinished. The setting is a green gorge with the river running clear over rock, and villagers swim and picnic there in summer, so the site is in everyday use rather than fenced off. Reaching the higher panels means scrambling. It is usually combined with the Jerwan aqueduct, the other end of the same engineering scheme.

The main sights

• Cliff panels - the king before the gods carved into the gorge wall.
• Fallen blocks - carved stones lying in and beside the river.
• Cuneiform inscriptions - texts recording the canal works.
• The canal intake - the cut where water was taken from the river.

When to go

March to May for green hills and flowing water, September to November for comfortable weather. Summer brings picnickers and swimmers to the river, which is lively but crowded. Winter can be cold and wet.

Good to know

There is no visitor infrastructure and no signage. Reaching some carvings requires scrambling on rock above water. Several panels are weathered and hard to make out. Modern graffiti has been added in places.

Nearby

Jerwan aqueduct lies south; Duhok is northwest.