# Query Iceberg table data
<a name="querying-iceberg-table-data"></a>

To query an Iceberg dataset, use a standard `SELECT` statement like the following. Queries follow the Apache Iceberg [format v2 spec](https://iceberg.apache.org/spec/#format-versioning) and perform merge-on-read of both position and equality deletes.

```
SELECT * FROM [db_name.]table_name [WHERE predicate]
```

To optimize query times, all predicates are pushed down to where the data lives.

For information about time travel and version travel queries, see [Perform time travel and version travel queries](querying-iceberg-time-travel-and-version-travel-queries.md).

## Create and query views with Iceberg tables
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To create and query Athena views on Iceberg tables, use `CREATE VIEW` views as described in [Work with views](views.md).

Example:

```
CREATE VIEW view1 AS SELECT * FROM iceberg_table
```

```
SELECT * FROM view1 
```

If you are interested in using the [Iceberg view specification](https://github.com/apache/iceberg/blob/master/format/view-spec.md) to create views, contact [athena-feedback@amazon.com](mailto:athena-feedback@amazon.com). 

## Query Iceberg table metadata
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In a `SELECT` query, you can use the following properties after *table\$1name*to query Iceberg table metadata:
+ **\$1files** – Shows a table's current data files.
+ **\$1manifests** – Shows a table's current file manifests.
+ **\$1history** – Shows a table's history.
+ **\$1partitions** – Shows a table's current partitions.
+ **\$1snapshots** – Shows a table's snapshots.
+ **\$1refs** – Shows a table's references.

### Examples
<a name="querying-iceberg-table-metadata-syntax"></a>

The following statement lists the files for an Iceberg table.

```
SELECT * FROM "dbname"."tablename$files"
```

The following statement lists the manifests for an Iceberg table.

```
SELECT * FROM "dbname"."tablename$manifests" 
```

The following statement shows the history for an Iceberg table.

```
SELECT * FROM "dbname"."tablename$history"
```

The following example shows the partitions for an Iceberg table.

```
SELECT * FROM "dbname"."tablename$partitions" 
```

The following example lists the snapshots for an Iceberg table.

```
SELECT * FROM "dbname"."tablename$snapshots" 
```

The following example shows the references for an Iceberg table.

```
SELECT * FROM "dbname"."tablename$refs" 
```

## Use Lake Formation fine-grained access control
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Athena engine version 3 supports Lake Formation fine-grained access control with Iceberg tables, including column level and row level security access control. This access control works with time travel queries and with tables that have performed schema evolution. For more information, see [Lake Formation fine-grained access control and Athena workgroups](lf-athena-limitations.md#lf-athena-limitations-fine-grained-access-control).

If you created your Iceberg table outside of Athena, use [Apache Iceberg SDK](https://iceberg.apache.org/releases/) version 0.13.0 or higher so that your Iceberg table column information is populated in the AWS Glue Data Catalog. If your Iceberg table does not contain column information in AWS Glue, you can use the Athena [ALTER TABLE SET TBLPROPERTIES](querying-iceberg-alter-table-set-properties.md) statement or the latest Iceberg SDK to fix the table and update the column information in AWS Glue.