The ruins of an ancient 3400-year-old palace that dates back to the Mittani empire were discovered in the Mosul Dam reservoir on the banks of the Tigris River in Iraq’s Kurdistan after water levels dropped because of drought.

"The find is one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the region in recent decades," Kurdish archeologist Hasan Ahmed Qasim said in a press release.

The researchers also discovered wall paintings in shades of red and blue, probably a common feature of palaces at the time, as well as ten clay tablets covered in cuneiform.

Archeologists have been aware of the site since 2010, but this is the first time they have been able to excavate.