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On three frightful days, from April 10th to 12th, 2003, some of the most precious remnants of early civilization were brutally plundered. In addition to the National Museum of Iraq, other museums and galleries were looted; books and manuscripts from the National Library and Archives were burnt. The good news is that many of the antiquities, at first reported stolen, are now safe. But the damage to the National Museum of Iraq nevertheless represents one of the biggest losses of antiquities in the modern era, and the largest museum loss since World War II. To skeptics who now discuss this tragedy as “exaggerated” Professor John Russell responded on June 15, 2003, in The Washington Post, that “there's still plenty to mourn.” Some media reports have referred to “only 33 objects stolen”; but that figure represents only objects from the public galleries. It doesn’t take into consideration the thousands of pieces looted or destroyed in storage galleries, part of the museum's vast study collection. Nor does it address the situation of continued looting of archaeological sites throughout the country. Those who blame scholars for “overreaction” are missing the point. Imagine if we had heard that “only 33” works of art had been stolen from the Louvre’s public galleries—like the Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory—along with thousands of pieces from the storerooms. Would we say this loss wasn’t so dreadful, and blame those who, in the earlier confusion and chaos, had feared the losses were much higher? Minimizing the loss sustained in Iraq diverts attention from the real issue: Our collective cultural heritage is at risk, in large part because of the illegal trade in antiquities. Instead of assigning blame, let’s turn to the positive. For example, If the magnificent material from the Royal Tombs of Ur and the Nimrud treasures are safe, why not present them to the world in a traveling exhibition? After all, they have never been seen before in the West. We may never know the full extent of the loss in Baghdad because archival documents were also destroyed. Pieces that never had proper identifying documents are gone, without a trace. For up-to-date estimates of the losses, visit The 2003 Iraq War & Archaeology. Together with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), authorities from government, law enforcement, and the museum and academic worlds continue to investigate the losses. They are still in the process of compiling an inventory of what is missing; but it is certain that some of the most precious pieces are gone or damaged. On June 12, 2003, the Warka Vase was returned. The 5,000-year-old carved white limestone piece—considered one of the most important pieces from the museum—was however, severely damaged. WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT IRAQ’S CULTURAL TREASURES? HOW WERE TREASURES PLUNDERED IN THE MUSEUMS? |
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