The Iraq War & Archaeology Archive 47

The Iraq War & Archaeology
Reviewed Articles Archive Forty-Seven: First 1/2 of March 2005

This is the forty-seventh archive of the reviewed articles of The Iraq War & Archaeology web site.

Francis Deblauwe, Ph.D.

The articles and other information are listed chronologically, most recent first.

Archive Seventy-Five: May 2006
Archive Seventy-Four: 2nd 1/2 of April 2006
Archive Seventy-Three: 1st 1/2 of April 2006
Archive Seventy-Two: 2nd 1/2 of March 2006
Archive Seventy-One: 1st 1/2 of March 2006
Archive Seventy: 2nd 1/2 of February 2006
Archive Sixty-Nine: 1st 1/2 of February 2006
Archive Sixty-Eight: 2nd 1/2 of January 2006
Archive Sixty-Seven: 1st 1/2 of January 2006
Archive Sixty-Six: 2nd 1/2 of December 2005
Archive Sixty-Five: 1st 1/2 of December 2005
Archive Sixty-Four: 2nd 1/2 of November 2005
Archive Sixty-Three: 1st 1/2 of November 2005
Archive Sixty-Two: 2nd 1/2 of October 2005
Archive Sixty-One: 1st 1/2 of October 2005
Archive Sixty: 2nd 1/2 of September 2005
Archive Fifty-Nine: 1st 1/2 of September 2005
Archive Fifty-Eight: 2nd 1/2 of August 2005
Archive Fifty-Seven: 1st 1/2 of August 2005
Archive Fifty-Six: 2nd 1/2 of July 2005
Archive Fifty-Five: 1st 1/2 of July 2005
Archive Fifty-Four: 2nd 1/2 of June 2005
Archive Fifty-Three: 1st 1/2 of June 2005
Archive Fifty-Two: 2nd 1/2 of May 2005
Archive Fifty-One: 1st 1/2 of May 2005
Archive Fifty: 2nd 1/2 of April 2005
Archive Forty-Nine: 1st 1/2 of April 2005
Archive Forty-Eight: 2nd 1/2 of March 2005
Archive Forty-Seven: 1st 1/2 of March 2005
Archive Forty-Six: 2nd 1/2 of February 2005
Archive Forty-Five: 1st 1/2 of February 2005
Archive Forty-Four: 2nd 1/2 of January 2005
Archive Forty-Three: 1st 1/2 of January 2005
Archive Forty-Two: 2nd 1/2 of December 2004
Archive Forty-One: 1st 1/2 of December 2004
Archive Forty: 2nd 1/2 of November 2004
Archive Thirty-Nine: 1st 1/2 of November 2004
Archive Thirty-Eight: 2nd 1/2 of October 2004
Archive Thirty-Seven: 1st 1/2 of October 2004
Archive Thirty-Six: 2nd 1/2 of September 2004
Archive Thirty-Five: 1st 1/2 of September 2004
Archive Thirty-Four: 2nd 1/2 of August 2004
Archive Thirty-Three: 1st 1/2 of August 2004
Archive Thirty-Two: 2nd 1/2 of July 2004
Archive Thirty-One: 1st 1/2 of July 2004
Archive Thirty: 2nd 1/2 of June 2004
Archive Twenty-Nine: 1st 1/2 of June 2004
Archive Twenty-Eight: 2nd 1/2 of May 2004
Archive Twenty-Seven: 1st 1/2 of May 2004
Archive Twenty-Six: 2nd 1/2 of April 2004
Archive Twenty-Five: 1st 1/2 of April 2004
Archive Twenty-Four: 2nd 1/2 of March 2004
Archive Twenty-Three: 1st 1/2 of March 2004
Archive Twenty-Two: 2nd 1/2 of February 2004
Archive Twenty-One: 1st 1/2 of February 2004
Archive Twenty: 2nd 1/2 of January 2004
Archive Nineteen: 1st 1/2 of January 2004
Archive Eighteen: 2nd 1/2 of December 2003
Archive Seventeen: 1st 1/2 of December 2003
Archive Sixteen: 2nd 1/2 of November 2003
Archive Fifteen: 1st 1/2 of November 2003
Archive Fourteen: 2nd 1/2 of October 2003
Archive Thirteen: 1st 1/2 of October 2003
Archive Twelve: 2nd 1/2 of September 2003
Archive Eleven: 1st 1/2 of September 2003
Archive Ten: 2nd 1/2 of August 2003
Archive Nine: 1st 1/2 of August 2003
Archive Eight: 2nd 1/2 of July 2003
Archive Seven: 1st 1/2 of July 2003
Archive Six: 2nd 1/2 of June 2003
Archive Five: 1st 1/2 of June 2003
Archive Four: 2nd 1/2 of May 2003
Archive Three: 1st 1/2 of May 2003
Archive Two: 2nd 1/2 of April 2003
Archive One: 1st 1/2 of April 2003
Archive Zero: through the 2nd 1/2 of March 2003

Almost all are accessible for free (or after a free registration) on the internet. Each time, I try to draw attention to the most relevant tidbits of information, esp. things that were not mentioned before; occasionally, I provide some comment. The usual warning applies: many links become defective with time. Inclusion in the list does not in any way mean that I necessarily agree with the opinions expressed in an article. But for a few exceptions, the occasional photos and figures accompanying reviewed articles are just hotlinked images on other web sites, in other words: do not download them or request permission to publish them from me, for I do not own the copyright to them in any way! Please do contact the rightful owners if you would like to use them for publication purposes. Finally, for the sake of convenience, all articles and so on are assumed to have been published on US web sites unless indicated otherwise.

J. Goldstein, "Students welcome home soldier," in The Daily Citizen (Arkansas), March 12, 2005: "... Lt. Col. Henry Himstedt sat down before the class and talked about his duties in Iraq. His job as an environmental officer in the Army's 412 Engineer Unit was varied. Henry spent much of his tour of duty in Baghdad working in tandem with the Iraqi Ministry of the Environment. Part of his job was to ensure that waste oil in Iraq was not dumped into the soil but was transported to refineries for burning. His job also included testing drinking water to ensure that it was safe for soldiers. 'We tested soil, water, and air to ensure that soldiers had the same type of environmental protection as they did in the U.S.... Also, we made sure that units didn't disturb archeological sites. At disturbed sites we sought to minimize the impact.'"
N. Storey, "Marine bakes to preserve Iraqi culture," in Montana Kaimin (Montana), [March 11, 2005]: "Already well on his way to falling in love with Iraq, Captain Tommy Livoti stood on the roof of Saddam Hussein’s palace about 50 miles south of Baghdad one hot summer day and looked down on the ruins of Babylon. ... This was a dream come true for Livoti, an archaeology student at the University of Montana who is now trying to raise funds to save ruins like this. The company he was a part of was based near the palace. ... For someone with such a deep appreciation for these sites, Iraq was a little heartbreaking, too." "The brawny Marine, who still wears boots, will tie on an apron and, with about 30 other members of the Anthropological Student Association and faculty, bake some cookies this weekend. They will also bake other items like zucchini bread, fry bread and, of course, brownies. Then they will peddle their baked goods on Monday from 10 a.m. until they are gone outside the Social Sciences Building. They plan to send the money they make to the Stoneybrook Foundation, a group that is helping to combat the widespread looting and destruction of Iraq’s cultural and historical artifacts. Specifically, the money will go toward purchasing a satellite that will compile data of southern Iraq’s historical and archaeological sites. The maps will help to locate and identify sites that need protection. The anthropology club is asking local businesses to match the amount of money the club makes at its bake sale Monday with their own donations. Although he’s calling on locals to contribute, the amount of money the sale raises is, perhaps, not as important as the awareness it might help to spread." "It’s difficult to find up-to-date information about which [National Museum] artifacts are still missing and what sites have been destroyed. Some estimates say there are still 10,000 missing artifacts. The first reports said artifacts such as 80,000 cuneiform tablets with the world’s earliest writing [nope, not missing], a 4,000-year-old silver harp from Ur and a 4,600-year-old headless statue of the Sumerian King Entemena were missing. One Web site [that would be this one ;-)} ] lists the names of 35 archaeological sites, many of them unexcavated, which have been pillaged [or damaged]." "As a marine and an archaeologist, Livoti has a unique perspective. He agrees that there was a lack of awareness on the military’s part. But he stresses that this was not intentional. And, what many of the critics forget, is that in war human lives are at risk, not just cultural artifacts. ... Livoti has some of the same criticisms as other archaeologists and anthropologists, but he thinks that, instead of complaining, it’s time to do something about the situation."
"Iraqi Media Programme Summaries, 9 March 2005," in Iraqi Media Monitoring (Jordan), March 10, 2005: "Al-Sharqiyah TV news, 8 March 2005 ... Authorities in Dhi Qar impound archaeological treasures"
"Kurd News, 8 March 2005," in Iraqi Media Monitoring (Jordan), March 9, 2005: "Kurdistan satellite TV News Summary 8 Mar 05 ... Students demonstrate against the looting of the Arbil museum" [see also Iraqi Media Monitoring December 29, 2004]
"Iraqi Media Progamme Summaries, 8 March 2005," in Iraqi Media Monitoring (Jordan), March 9, 2005: "Programme summary of Al-Diyar TV Arabic ... The Iraqi museum regains 160 objects that were looted after the fall of the former regime" [nothing more...]

"Report on the Current Condition of the Babylon Archaeological Site (The Military Camp Alpha Site)," in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland (Poland), online, March 4, 2005: to be reviewed...

Photo: [no caption; from the home page of the web site]

"Iraqi Broadcast Media Prog. Summaries, 1 March 05," in Iraqi Media Monitoring (Jordan), March 2, 2005: "Al-Sharqiyah Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic, ... Iraqi youth organization exhibits stolen artefacts, monuments collected in Baghdad, governorates in order to return them to Iraqi museum"
D. MacMillan, "Size matters for artist with twist on subversion," in The Scotsman (UK), March 1, 2005: "... [Simon Patterson's] current retrospective at the Fruitmarket [in Edinburgh]. ... Downstairs there is a large wall work which is more serious, however. It’s a diagram, a blueprint of a line of battle outside the walls of the royal palace at Ur in Babylon, except that the plan of the palace itself is actually that of a circuit board and, though the army defending this anachronistic palace is an army of the kings of Babylon, the ranks of the attackers arrayed before them are the presidents and vice-presidents of the United States. There is a substantial point here. The attack on Iraq, home of the earliest civilisation, is also more widely an attack on civilisation itself. The circuit board may symbolise US technological superiority, but the analogy Patterson suggests between it and the plan of an ancient palace reminds us of the immense continuity of the civilised values that are under attack. It is no good saying 'that was then, this is now'. Past and present are indivisible."
"On March 1, 2005," in The Embassy of the Polish Republic in London (UK), online, March 1, 2005: "... at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, a multi-media presentation and an exhibition on ‘Poland and Protection of Iraq’s Cultural Heritage within the Stability Mission’ took place. The event was opened by H.E. Ambassador Zbigniew Matuszewski. Deputy Minister of Culture, Mr. Ryszard Miklinski, along with the group of Polish archaeologists [that would be Agnieszka Dolatowska and Lukasz Oledzki (see Harris July 7, 2004) who were scheduled to speak] and civil experts who had joined the structures of the Multinational Division Centre – South (MND CS), presented information on Poland’s role in the process of restoration of post-war Iraq in the field of protection of local cultural heritage, implemented in close cooperation with representatives of the Iraqi antiquity service, at the level of local inspectorates, and the Headquarters of the State Board of Antiquities in Baghdad." [so far for the public relations... I'm looking for a tad more objective reports]
"Poland protects Iraqi cultural heritage," in Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, D.C., online, March 1, 2005: "An exhibition illustrating the actions undertaken by Poland to protect the Iraqi national heritage was opened in the Polish Embassy in London on Tuesday. The exhibition will be also on display in Paris, the Defence Ministry here reported. The visitors to the exhibition are offered publications specially prepared in connection with the event, as well an electronic version of the report on the current state of the Polish archaeological excavations site in Babylon. ... Polish specialists will also answer possible questions of the visitors. On Monday, March 14 the exhibition will be moved to the Polish Embassy in Paris. The inauguration is to be attended by UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura."
"3. [sic; 4.] Selected Project Progress Highlights by Cluster," in UNDG Iraq Trust Fund Newsletter, 2, 2 (March-mid-April 2005): "Project C1-07: Protecting Iraqi Cultural Heritage (UNESCO)[.] Within the framework of Protection of Iraqi Cultural Heritage Project, computers and other IT equipment were delivered in March to the National Library in Baghdad. Also in March computers, laptops and GPS units were expected to be received by the Director of the Iraqi National Museum to further support the implementation of the same project."

"Iraq: Fini, volume sull'arte gioco di squadra dell'Italia," in ANSI (Italy), online, March 1, 2005: the new book "Iraq prima e dopo la guerra[. I siti archeologici]," [Iraq before and after the war. the archaeological sites] edited by Pialuisa Bianco, was presented to the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; it is meant to introduce an international readership to the importance of Mesopotamia [I guess this would explain why most articles are in Italian?] and how Italian experts were able to prevent even worse damage to the heritage of Iraq; Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini announced that at least part of the National Museum in Baghdad will reopen by the end of this year

Info from the publisher's web site ("L'Erma" di Bretschneider):

Photo: [book cover]

Contents: "Prefazione-Introduzione; P. Bianco, Nel segno della contingenza; F. Frattini, Oltre la misura della politica; G. Urbani, Il sogno della città; Il valore della Mesopotamia: M. Ruffa, Dalla mezzaluna fertile a Baghdad; G. Gullini, Il filo rosso tra noi e la Mesopotamia; G. Proietti, L'Italia in Iraq; Prima della guerra: McGuire Gibson, Nippur, Religious Center of Mesopotamia; J. Curtis, Nimrud; A. Invernizzi, Seleucia, verso l'ellenismo; B. A. Salvini, Tello, histoire du site, histoire des fouilles; M. Van Ess, Uruk, la moderna Warka; R. Venco Ricciardi, Hatra; P. Fiorina, Forte Salmanassar; Dopo la guerra: M. Bondioli Osio, The Archeological Site Protection Project. Progress and problem; F. Caruso, La pointe de l'iceberg; P. Cordone, Prime e ultime righe; M. Bouchenaki, Dopo lo choc del saccheggio; U. Zottin, Il recupero; La ricostruzione: A. Armellini, Cercando un'identità; D. G. Hannah, L'addestramento dei tecnici; P. Battino, La riabilitazione dei laboratori di restauro; R. Parapetti, La sensazione di una riapertura; R. Parapetti, Il quartiere amministrativo della città ottomana; F. Al-Khreishah, Archeologia senza confini; F. Ippolitomi Strika, Tell Es-Sawwan. L'uomo, lo spazio, il tempo, il movimento; Progetto di Ninive: G. Fazio, Restauro del complesso scultoreo; S. D'Amico, Il rilevamento stereofotogrammetrico; R. Martines, La sala del trono di Sennacherib. Progetto di copertura; Postfazione: V. Sgarbi, Metafora del caos politico."

This site is edited by Belgian archaeologist Francis Deblauwe, Ph.D., living in Streamwood, Illinois (USA), who is affiliated with Archaeos, Inc., and a research associate of the University of Vienna (Austria).