Teenager recreates ancient statues destroyed by ISIS in Iraq

Seventeen-year-old Assyrian Christian Nenous Thabit, together with his sculptor father, has carved 18 replicas of ancient statues destroyed by ISIS militants in the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, Iraq. The originals, including the iconic Lamassu—a protective deity with a human head and winged bull body—were smashed when ISIS invaded the 3,300-year-old site in spring 2015. Thabit told CNN he was horrified by the destruction and decided to act. Three Lamassu statues are known to have been destroyed: one at Nimrud, one at Nineveh, and one in the Mosul Museum. Christopher Jones, a student of ancient Middle Eastern history at Columbia University, documented the losses. The Thabit family's work, done in their home workshop, aims to preserve cultural heritage for future generations, though experts are needed to ensure historical accuracy.