The Iraq War & Archaeology Archive 56

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.

C. Reichel, "Workshop 'The Threat to Iraq's Cultural Heritage' (Chicago, 7/23/05)--Michael Müller-Karpe's statement," in Iraqcrisis, online, July 30, 2005: "A statement read by Michael Müller-Karpe at the workshop 'The Threat to Iraq's Cultural Heritage--Current Status and Future Prospects' (workshop organized by the Oriental Institute's Iraq Working Group in conjunction with the 51st Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale) on July 23, 2005 is now on-line: http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/IRAQ/ws_statement.html[.] This statement condemns the looting of archaeological sites in Iraq and specifically urges scholars worldwide '.....to refrain from providing expertise to the antiquities market and to private collectors, unless the artifacts in question can be proven to be neither excavated illegally nor exported without permission.' The statement was signed by 46 attendees of the workshop[.]" [and yes, as you can see in the list of signed names, the Universität Wien now has a satellite program in the US, viz. in Kansas City, Missouri! just kidding; as most people probably know by now, this web site and assorted academic web stuff of my hand have been kindly "adopted" by the Institut für Orientalistik of the University of Vienna in Austria, and, as an added bonus, they threw in a nice title to put on my business card; however, I still don't have a permanent or full-time job, hence the PayPal buttons I've added just in case anyone has some spare change they'd like to donate]
R. Grimm, "Kulturraub bewirkte internationale Solidarität. Deutschland hilft bei der Neuausstattung der Archivräume," in Mitteldeutsche Zeitung (Germany), July 29, 2005: Dr. Margarete van Ess (director of the Oriental Dept. of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut) says that the looting of the National Museum in Baghdad had at least one good result: greatly increased international solidarity and collaboration in the Iraqi heritage field, greater than in any other sector; Germany is helping with the finances of the protection of southern archaeological sites against looters and with the restoration of the archival rooms and is just now preparing to deliver technical equipment, Belgium is assisting with the storage buildings, Japan has contributed a new alarm system, the US has provided new computer equipment and refurbished the offices, Italy and Japan took care of a new conservation laboratory; van Ess wrote an article in the magazine Archäologie in Deutschland [issue 3 of 2005, published May 15; only a summary available online]: it has been impossible due to the overall situation in Iraq to perform a complete inventory of the Museum collection; one will often only be able to identify artifacts in photos and illustrations after complex searches; thus many pieces may appear on the antiquities market without a problem and only be recognized later on as stolen from the National Museum
S. Zekri, "Venus mit Eventcharakter. Interview zum Getty-Skandal," in Die Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany), July 28, 2005: interview with Dr. Michael Müller-Karpe (Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz): Dr. Donny George Youkhanna, Director General of museums in Iraq, has clearly stated that they will refuse access to the National Museum in Baghdad to anyone who encourages the illegal trade in antiquities through purchasing, providing expertise or publishing [thanks to Chuck Jones for pointing out the official statement, see 2003- IW&A Documents, 2]; Grand Ayatollah el-Sistani has declared looting un-Islamic but radical cleric Muqtada el-Sadr has issued a counter-fatwa to the effect that looting of antiquities is allowed as long as its proceeds benefit the fight against the infidels; if you buy looted artifacts from Iraq, you are also supporting terrorist attacks [this is a bit of a stretch here: the Shi'ite firebrand el-Sadr is not likely behind most of the terrorist bombings and attacks nowadays that are mostly committed by Sunnis; which of course doesn't mean that insurgents aren't using antiquities looting and smuggling as a source of income]; he talks about the bad legal situation in Germany regarding looted antiquities
"Ancient Iraqi harp reproduced by Liverpool engineers. A team of engineers at the University of Liverpool has helped reproduce an ancient Iraqi harp – the Lyre of Ur," in EurekAlert!, online, July 28, 2005: "Engineers from the University's Lairdside Laser Engineering Centre (LLEC) employed revolutionary laser technology to engrave authentic designs onto Gulf Shell (mother of pearl) – the original material used to decorate the body of the harp." "The Lyre was discovered in a mass suicide grave in the ancient city of Ur in Iraq by British archaeologist, Sir Leonard Woolley. Uncovered in 1929, the remains were kept in a museum in Baghdad until they were destroyed during the recent war in Iraq." [incorrect: damaged but not totally destroyed]; "Andy Lowings, project co-ordinator and harp enthusiast, said: 'The Lyre of Ur is one of the world's most unique instruments – the remains of only two similar originals found by Sir Leonard still exist but are unplayable. It is fantastic that the harp has been reproduced using original materials and can now be played and enjoyed by music lovers, worldwide.'" [see also Lowings April 14, 2005]
"Iraq praises Iran's efforts in Baghdad museum," in IranMania (UK), online, July 26, 2005: "Iraqi Minister of State for Tourism and Antiquities Hashim al-Hashimi appreciated efforts made by Iran's Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ahmad Masjed Jamei for revival of Baghdad museum's old prestige and reconstructing the historical place. ... during his recent visit with Masjed Jamei in Tehran, the Iranian minister voiced Iran's readiness to help rebuild Iraq's National Museum, IRNA said." "Referring to Masjed Jamei comments on Tehran's great efforts to prevent illegal transit of Iraqi antiquities via Iranian territory, al-Hashimi said that Baghdad would welcome such moves by Tehran. He said a group of Iranian archaeologists are to visit Iraq in a near future to help their Iraqi counterparts reconstruct the country's National Museum in Baghdad."
"Rinasce il Museo di Baghdad (virtuale)," in AreaPress (Italy), online, July 25, 2005: the Italian Foreign Ministry's Directorate General Mediterranean-Middle East – Task Force Iraq is sponsoring the virtual-reconstruction project whose scientific co-ordination is entrusted to the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche [National Research Council]; also involved are the Ministry of Cultural Goods and Activities, the Comando dei Carabinieri per la Tutela del patrimonio culturale [Carabinieri's Cultural-Heritage Protection Unit], ..., the Università di Roma-La Sapienza, the Università di Torino, the Università di Udine, the Centro ricerche archeologiche e scavi di Torino, the Museo Egizio di Torino and the Istituto italo-iracheno per il restauro; in the first 6 months (funded by the Foreign Ministry) there will be 4 fases: 1) a feasibility study of the methods of classification, iconographic recognition and hypertext writing for the historical-artistic-cultural components; 2) the development of the architecture of the Virtual Museum; 3) the first training of the Iraqi staff; 4) the realization of a demo prototype with the first data and artifacts, showing off the interactiveness and functionality of the system [see also Daubree July 25, 2005; however, see an important caveat in Centro Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino August 12, 2005; see also Pettinato March 1, 2006]
A. Daubree, "La renaissance du musée de Bagdad sur le web. L'Italie annonce la reconstitution... virtuelle du musée de Bagdad. Mais les crédits n'ont pas encore été versés," in Silicon.fr (France), online, July 25, 2005: the Corriere della Sera of July 18 reported that on the occasion of the visit by the Iraqi Minister of Culture, Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini announced that Italian experts will help to make a virtual recreation of the exhibits in Baghdad's National Museum; they are experienced in this, e.g., a virtual version of the David by Michelangelo [actually a US-Italian effort, see The Digital Michelangelo Project web site]; however, the project still hasn't received its €800,000 funding to start; the job would take 3 years, then they would like to proceed with Iraqi artifacts kept in France, the UK, the US and so on [is this in any way linked or co-ordinated with the ENEA/Università di Pisa project that was presented at the Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale last month? see also News Italia Press July 19, 2005, AreaPress July 25 and EuroNews July 21, 2005]
H. Weinstein, "'Is This How You Treat One of Your Own?' Cyrus Kar's zeal for 15 seconds of film cost him 55 days in prison in Iraq," in Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2005: "The version he recounted here is more critical than the version he gave reporters in Baghdad on the day he was released. Much of what he describes was verified independently by The Times through interviews and documents. U.S. officials have cleared Kar." "He became fascinated with Cyrus the Great after a visit to Tehran, where his divorced mother still lives, three years ago. Kar's namesake, he learned, had conquered Babylonia, then ruled it by a strict written code of human rights that later influenced Thomas Jefferson. Cyrus the Great's life seemed to represent the two cultures Kar held dearest. Kar decided to do a documentary. The project became his passion. For three years, he researched and filmed in the United States, Turkey, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, while teaching part time and living in a modest Los Feliz apartment." "In the spring of 2005, Kar went to Tehran, hooked up with cameraman Farshid Faraji and set out by bus for Iraq. They entered at Khanaqin and spent a week in the area near Erbil — Kurdish territory that is considered relatively safe. The second week of May they went to Baghdad, where they spent one day doing research and another filming the remains of the ancient Median Wall, erected by King Nebuchadnezzar hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. They had one brief run-in with Iraqi police, but their real problems began May 17, as they drove out of Baghdad planning to shoot 15 seconds or so of film on the bridge that reminded Kar of one described by the ancient historian Herodotus. They set out despite a warning by an official at the Ministry of Culture that the road was unsafe. Kar didn't like the taxi driver they got at the central depot, near the Iraqi Museum, the hiring spot for long-haul cabs. 'He didn't look trustworthy, but we didn't have a choice,' he said."; they get arrested...; "'One guy kept saying, 'You're going to be in big trouble…. You're going to be famous in the highest levels of government, from the secretary of defense up to the president. You're an enemy combatant. You're an American terrorist…. You're the next John Walker Lindh.''"; they finally were released; "He lost much of the footage shot in Iraq, but Kar still hopes to finish his project. Kar said his primary goal is to educate people about Cyrus the Great and his contemporary relevance. 'When he went to Babylon and found people held against their will — not just Jews, but POWs that had been rounded up — it was just so strange to him, that he freed them,' he said. 'There are a lot of parallels between the American invasion and Cyrus' invasion of Iraq. Both <Iraq and Babylon> were ruled at the time by a minority sect. Both <invading armies> were received as liberators when they came. Except that Cyrus managed to win the hearts and minds of the Babylonians, and, unfortunately, we have not been able to do that in this campaign.'" [see also Weinstein July 6, 2005]
"Il museo di Baghdad rinascerà in forma virtuale. Grazie a un progetto italiano," in EuroNews (Italy), online, July 21, 2005: €800,000 funding for the first 6 months of the 3-year virtual-reconstruction project; Silvia Chiodi (CNR) said that the next step was to sit down with the Iraqi colleagues and decide which Museum objects and rooms to reconstruct virtually first; the Italian team has previously worked on similar projects for the Chapel of the Scrovegni in Padua and the Arrigo VII monument in Pisa [see also Daubree July 25, 2005]
"M. Kane, "The relic hunters: Vancouver software firm aids Iraq in recovering looted treasure," in The Vancouver Sun (Canada), July 20, 2005: "Software developer Minisis Inc. is working with the Iraqi National Museum to make a computerized inventory of some 20,000 missing artifacts, some more than 5,000 years old, as well as millions more that are vulnerable to insurgent attacks at archeological sites or in poorly guarded vaults. Agents with the international police agency, Interpol, will then be better equipped to identify missing antiquities and restore them to the Iraqi people. Eventually, the electronic ledger will be posted on a website, where curators and collectors can check to see if they are being offered looted goods. The site will also be open to members of the public ..." "... Christopher Burcsik, CEO of Minisis. 'Our technology will allow them to fully document their pieces electronically, making it harder for stolen objects to be sold and reducing the likelihood that more treasures will go missing.' Burcsik, 37, leads a team of about 30 employees in Vancouver and Tunisia who will train Iraqi museum staff in the use of proprietary Minisis M3 museum collections database technology, ... M3 operates in both Arabic and English. The Iraqis will be coached in Amman, Jordan, and then return to Iraq to copy and expand upon data from handwritten museum ledgers or the artifacts themselves. 'I find it amazing that these people go to work every day, dodging bombs, to try to preserve what they have,' Burcsik said. 'The museum means much more to them than a museum typically means to most of us. It represents their history, education, identity and religion, which are all intertwined.' The project is an initiative of [UNESCO], funded by a contribution from the Swiss government. ... Burcsik said the company discounted its software for the Iraq project by about 65 per cent. ... 'We will cover our costs, but our reward came when the assistant director of the museum pulled me aside and said, 'I hope you realize you are making a dream come true for us. You are helping us go from nothing to being up there with all the national museums in the world.''" [see also Al Bawaba August 7, 2005]
"Forces Capture Dozens of Insurgents, Uncover Weapons Caches," in United States Department of Defense, online, July 19, 2005: "The military also reported that Iraqi soldiers captured an individual today suspected of dealing artifacts believed stolen from the Baghdad Museum. The detainee said he was acting as a middleman for a buyer and that the artifacts, estimated to be between 2,000 and 5,000 years old, were worth $25,000 each. Three items believed to be artifacts were recovered."
"Italy to make virtual Iraq museum," in News Italia Press, online, July 19, 2005: "... an Internet recreation of Baghdad's famed musem of antiquities as it was before being pillaged during the US-led invasion of Iraq. Iraqi authorities are said to be enthusiastic about the project which was set up by the Italian foreign ministry, the culture ministry and the National Research Centre (CNR) with the help of Italy's internationally-famous art police. The first four showrooms should be up on the web early next year, said CNR's Roberto De Mattei." "Looting continues at archaeological sites around the insurgency-hit country, experts say." [see also ANSA July 18, 2005 and AGI June 15, 2005]

"Italy to make virtual Iraq museum. Experts will build Web version of site before looting," in ANSA (Italy), online, July 18, 2005 [see also News Italia Press July 19, 2005 and Daubree July 25, 2005]

Photo: [no caption; looks like restoration experts working on the Early Sumerian "Lady of Warka" mask]

Ch. Jones, "Ahmad al-Jobori," in Iraqcrisis, online, July 17, 2005: "... an informed source in Baghdad reports that Ahmad al-Jobori, the head of tourism in Iraq, died of a heart attack on July 5, 2005." [this version of el-Jabburi's death is contradicted by Abu Nasr July 11, 2005]
"Todespilot Atta wollte Terroranschläge vom 11. September 2001 durch illegalen Kunsthandel finanzieren," in Der Spiegel (Germany), 29/2005 (July 16): the Egyptian el-Qaida terrorist Muhammed Atta who participated in the 9/11 attacks seems to have tried to sell Afghan antiquities; in 2000 or 2001, as a student at the Technische Universität in Ha[m]burg (Germany) he somehow was assisted in contacting Prof. Brigitte G[roneberg] of the Universität Göttingen for advice, so says the Bundeskriminalamt (more or less the German FBI); he mentioned he wanted to get money to buy an airplane; she advised him to go to Sotheby's and that was the last she heard of him

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).