BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Slowly, Iraqi Antiquities Begin to Return

Bible and archaeology news

Germany last week returned 45 ancient artifacts to Iraq that were stolen and looted from the country’s museums and archaeological sites following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The artifacts, including a 6,500-year-old gold jar, the head of a Sumerian battle axe and several cuneiform tablets, had been seized by German police during public auctions and were formally returned to Iraqi officials last Monday during an official ceremony. An estimated 15,000 artifacts were stolen from Iraq’s National Museum in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, with thousands more having been looted from the country’s numerous archaeological sites in the years since. Iraqi officials believe as many as 10,000 museum objects are still missing, and have vowed to continue to track them down. “We are heading in coming months to retrieve Iraqi artifacts from Britain, from the United States of America and Canada,” said Abbas al-Quraishi, head of Iraq’s artifact retrieval department. “We will follow Iraq’s antiquities wherever they are.”

Germany last week returned 45 ancient artifacts to Iraq that were stolen and looted from the country’s museums and archaeological sites following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.