So Much for the 'Looted Sites' [Iraq]

WSJ.com ^ | July 15, 2008 | Melik Kaylan

[Uncle Ralph]

A recent mission to Iraq headed by top archaeologists ... found that, contrary to received wisdom, southern Iraq's most important historic sites ... had neither been seriously damaged nor looted after the American invasion. This, according to a report by staff writer Martin Bailey in the July issue of the Art Newspaper. The article has caused confusion, not to say consternation, among archaeologists and has been largely ignored by the mainstream press. Not surprising perhaps, since reports by experts blaming the U.S. for the postinvasion destruction of Iraq's heritage have been regular fixtures of the news.

Up to now ... the accusations against the U.S., the de facto governing authority, had been taken on faith. No one had bothered to challenge the reports, the evidence or the logic. ...

Yet, paradoxically, there always was thought to be enough evidence to adduce blame. "We believe that every major site in Southern Iraq is in serious danger," Donny George, the former head of the Baghdad Museum, was quoted as saying in the New York Times in 2003. A recent book by Lawrence Rothfield of the University of Chicago's Cultural Policy Institute carried the estimate that, every year, roughly 10% of Iraq's heritage was being destroyed. ...

According to the Art Newspaper article, "The international team ... had been expecting to find considerable evidence of looting after 2003 but to their astonishment and relief there was none. ...

The mission also refuted the welter of news items we've all become familiar with accusing allied forces of damaging ancient sites ...

It is all a far cry from the hitherto prevailing impression abroad in the world that the invasion has directly led to the mass destruction of Iraq's archaeological heritage.

[Milligan]

According the Geneva Convention....countries are responsible for securing their own antiquities before a conflict starts.

http://www.savingantiquities.org/pdf/Cultural_property.pdf

[dixiechick2000]

Thank you for the link, and the information.

You helped me to be right.

And, I was...;o)

[SunkenCiv]

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