Posted on 02/15/2005 2:17:41 AM PST by ATOMIC_PUNK
Marine to return ancient signature seals to Iraq
PHILADELPHIA A U-S Marine who brought home seemingly cheap souvenirs from Iraq has turned them over to authorities after learning they are ancient stone seals used as signature stamps.The Marine paid a vendor a few hundred dollars for the eight seals, and had them examined by a university archaeologist upon his return. The seals were looted from an archaeological site near Babylon. They are about five-thousand years old and valued at two-thousand to five-thousand dollars each. U-S soldiers are allowed to bring back souvenirs and trinkets, but Assistant U-S Attorney Bob Goldman said they are not supposed to bring back antiquities. He said the Marine had felt bad as soon as he realized the worth of the ancient seals. Now Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations plans to loan the set to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in a ceremony on Wednesday.
Well there they go they were safer in the Marines hands !
Let's hear it for integrity...you know, what you do when nobody's watching and you could get away with something.
Semper fi, Marine. I guess you're out a few hundred dollars, but you upheld the best traditions of our military.
I hope they at least give him back the amount he paid for them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.