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Looters Ransack Baghdad's Antiquities Museum
Reuters ^ | April 12, 2003 | Hassan Hafidh

Posted on 04/12/2003 7:05:07 AM PDT by kalt

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Looters have sacked Baghdad's antiquities museum, plundering treasures dating back thousands of years to the dawn of civilization in Mesopotamia, museum staff said on Saturday.

They blamed U.S. troops for not protecting the treasures.

Surveying the littered glass wreckage of display cases and pottery shards at the Iraqi National Museum on Saturday, deputy director Nabhal Amin wept and told Reuters: "They have looted or destroyed 170,000 items of antiquity dating back thousands of years...They were worth billions of dollars."

She blamed U.S. troops, who have controlled Baghdad since the collapse of President Saddam Hussein's rule on Wednesday, for failing to heed appeals from museum staff to protect it from looters who moved in to the building on Friday.

"The Americans were supposed to protect the museum. If they had just one tank and two soldiers nothing like this would have happened," she said. "I hold the American troops responsible for what happened to this museum."

The looters broke into rooms that were built like bank vaults with huge steel doors. The museum grounds were full of smashed doors, windows and littered with office paperwork and books.

"We know people are hungry but what are they going to do with these antiquities," said Muhsen Kadhim, a museum guard for the last 30 years but who said he was overwhelmed by the number of looters.

"As soon as I saw the American troops near the museum, I asked them to protect it but the second day looters came and robbed or destroyed all the antiquities," he said.

ARMED GUARDS

Amin told four of the museum guards to carry guns and protect what remained.

Some of the museum's artifacts had been moved into storage to avoid a repeat of damage to other antiquities during the 1991 Gulf War.

It houses items from ancient Babylon and Nineveh, Sumerian statues, Assyrian reliefs and 5,000-year-old tablets bearing some of the earliest known writing. There are also gold and silver helmets and cups from the Ur cemetery.

The museum was only opened to the public six months ago after shutting down at the beginning of the 1991 Gulf War. It survived air strikes on Baghdad in 1991 and again was almost unscathed by attacks on the capital by U.S.-led forces.

Iraq, a cradle of civilization long before the empires of Egypt, Greece or Rome, was home to dynasties that created agriculture and writing and built the cities of Nineveh, Nimrud and Babylon -- site of Nebuchadnezzar's Hanging Gardens.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: antiquities; fallofbaghdad; iraq; iraqifreedom; looters; looting; museum
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To: RadioAstronomer
Do you not believe me when I say this collection in historical context is far more important than myself or my life?

I believe that you say those words. I also believe your values to be warped. No one should die defending a rock.

321 posted on 04/13/2003 2:10:58 PM PDT by ambrose
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To: thathamiltonwoman
You can't eat Mesopotanian jewerly. I wonder how much of it will end up in private Saudi or Japanese collections?

IMHO, the tablets were far more important.

322 posted on 04/13/2003 2:11:18 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: RadioAstronomer
Fifth Business made that claim, but I do not believe it. If the rocks were so important, someone would have taken the trouble to photograph and document them.
323 posted on 04/13/2003 2:12:25 PM PDT by ambrose
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To: ambrose
I believe that you say those words. I also believe your values to be warped. No one should die defending a rock.

In a single word; Massada.

324 posted on 04/13/2003 2:12:36 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: ambrose
Fifth Business made that claim, but I do not believe it. If the rocks were so important, someone would have taken the trouble to photograph and document them.

Do you know how many scholars were just aching to get in there? This was on of the prize possessions of the entire world.

325 posted on 04/13/2003 2:14:43 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: RadioAstronomer
IMHO, the tablets were far more important.

The Ten Commandment tablets were also lost, and they nevertheless managed to have a profound effect on civilization. It is the words which are important in the historical context, and not the stone objects they were chiseled on...

326 posted on 04/13/2003 2:15:28 PM PDT by ambrose
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To: Fifth Business
This is a link to a site about the ancient artifacts of Mesopotamia and has some information about what the U.S. was doing to preserve the artifacts. Part of it is here:

In December, the U.S. military knew it had to take steps to preserve the archaeological treasure trove that is Iraq. They set out to locate the approximately 10,000 (some estimate 100,000) sites, some going back 7,000 years, and many of which are unexplored.

It also tells about the looting which went on after the Gulf War. Pretty eye opening. In addition the author states this:

NOTE FROM YOUR GUIDE

I wrote about the high cost of antiquities because that is what is relevant to an Ancient / Classical History site. Archaeologists and classicists value these treasures far more than most people. Their loss indirectly affects their livelihoods and passions. The cost in human lives is, however, infinitely more serious and important in this or any war. I pray for peace.

At least that guide recognizes the value of human lives over antiquities. Even today our troops are involved in a firefight in Baghdad and the war is not over. And yet, armchair war critics continue to snipe.

Iraq War on Ancient Artifacts of Mesopotamia

327 posted on 04/13/2003 2:16:32 PM PDT by Lauratealeaf (Iraqis say, Good, Very Good, Bush Good!)
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To: RadioAstronomer
I value history greatly. Where we differ is you value historical objects, whereas I value historical values, thoughts, and ideals.
328 posted on 04/13/2003 2:17:27 PM PDT by ambrose
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To: ambrose
The Ten Commandment tablets were also lost, and they nevertheless managed to have a profound effect on civilization. It is the words which are important in the historical context, and not the stone objects they were chiseled on...

Think of the importance to history and biblical studies should these tablets actually exist. However, if those tablets ever truly did exist (and were not a fable) the text was recorded and preserved. What was in this museum was 200,000 artifacts!

329 posted on 04/13/2003 2:18:24 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: ambrose
Where we differ is you value historical objects, whereas I value historical values, thoughts, and ideals.

How do you think we preserved those over the years? Osmosis?

330 posted on 04/13/2003 2:20:44 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: RadioAstronomer
writings, paintings, and photography - which we have plenty of these days. It is no longer critical to maintain the object itself... which is why many museums only display copies of important works.
331 posted on 04/13/2003 2:29:49 PM PDT by ambrose
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To: RadioAstronomer
Okay, I'm out for the afternoon. You have a good day. Really. You're actually making reconsider my initial reactions.
332 posted on 04/13/2003 2:30:55 PM PDT by ambrose
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To: RadioAstronomer
DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD SALE DAYS REPORTED AS HUGE SUCCESS!!!
Local merchants claim their 100% off sales promotion brought large crowds to downtown Baghdad this past week. Many of the attendees who formerly were unable to shop in the district due to lack of money, were ecstatic at the many, BUY NONE, GET ONE FREE, offers. Including used furniture and appliances from local goverment offices and underutilized palaces, there were many one of a kind items donated by the local museum.

Merchants report, that while at times, conditions were chaotic, there was an almost total sellout of items that were available. making the annual event is now being sudied by all involved. Many of the smiling shoppers were equally ecstatic, Pointing out that payroll investment plans were finally paying a dividend.
333 posted on 04/13/2003 2:33:30 PM PDT by rock58seg (Patience lost waiting for liberals to display some sense about Clinton and now Bush)
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To: ambrose
writings, paintings, and photography - which we have plenty of these days. It is no longer critical to maintain the object itself... which is why many museums only display copies of important works.

Again, much was not photographed. And repeating was posted here already, a photo cannot take the place of the object itself to a scholar, nor the records of where it was found, what it was with, etc. I will not continue to harp on this. Just IMHO, what was lost will long overshadow this war in future history.

334 posted on 04/13/2003 2:34:50 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: ambrose
Okay, I'm out for the afternoon. You have a good day. Really. You're actually making reconsider my initial reactions.

You have a good day also.

I have relatives and friends over there right now. I fear for their safety very much. Also I am truly greatful for the return of the POWs!! This is wonderful news!!!!!

Please do not think I was laying blame on amyone, I just was deeply saddened this happened.

335 posted on 04/13/2003 2:38:25 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: ambrose
Fifth Business made that claim, but I do not believe it. If the rocks were so important, someone would have taken the trouble to photograph and document them

You are correct in your assumption that the most important texts would have been photographed or copied, transcribed, and translated. The uncataloged stuff is mostly economic texts. But those are important for historical study also. If you want me to elaborate I will.

336 posted on 04/13/2003 2:38:43 PM PDT by Fifth Business
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To: ambrose
I agree, and I sure don't.

No Blood for Pottery!
337 posted on 04/13/2003 2:40:21 PM PDT by terilyn
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To: Lauratealeaf
At least that guide recognizes the value of human lives over antiquities.

It's because I value human lives that I value antiquities! The guide is not thinking it through.

Why are human lives valuable, over and above what animal lives are worth? In large measure, it's because of the uniquely human genius to live the life of the mind, and to produce the work of the mind. This museum was filled with the work of the mind, not just one mind at one moment, but the lifetimes' work of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of minds. Of course it is worth human lives to protect that. To believe otherwise is to fail to value human beings as anything beyond mere living, breathing animals.

338 posted on 04/13/2003 3:00:18 PM PDT by Physicist
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To: terilyn
No Blood for Pottery!

Frank Zappa once said, (paraphrased) "There will never be a nuclear holocaust. There's too much real estate involved." There's some truth in that flippant remark. Humans value their history and heritage, their man-made achievements, their holy sites and objects, their cultural and historic treasures.

Allow me to pose a question. If Cairo, Istanbul, or Damascus were "nuked," which would you regret more, the loss of lives or the loss of historic objects in those cities? I know my answer. Why do you think the neutron bomb was developed? And why do you think it scared the bejeezus out of people? I think it is noble that your heart bleeds for the loss of life during war, but it's par for the course. Actually, they say death even comes upon people during times of peace.

339 posted on 04/13/2003 3:14:22 PM PDT by Fifth Business
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To: Physicist
Why are human lives valuable, over and above what animal lives are worth? In large measure, it's because of the uniquely human genius to live the life of the mind, and to produce the work of the mind. This museum was filled with the work of the mind, not just one mind at one moment, but the lifetimes' work of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of minds. Of course it is worth human lives to protect that. To believe otherwise is to fail to value human beings as anything beyond mere living, breathing animals.

Nicely put.

340 posted on 04/13/2003 3:15:50 PM PDT by Fifth Business
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