IRAQ: U.S OFFICIALS SAY THAT 170,0000 ITEMS STOLEN FROM IRAQI MUSEUM IS A "GROSS EXAGGERATION"
Record ID:
647285
IRAQ: U.S OFFICIALS SAY THAT 170,0000 ITEMS STOLEN FROM IRAQI MUSEUM IS A "GROSS EXAGGERATION"
- Title: IRAQ: U.S OFFICIALS SAY THAT 170,0000 ITEMS STOLEN FROM IRAQI MUSEUM IS A "GROSS EXAGGERATION"
- Date: 16th May 2003
- Summary: (U7)BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MAY 16, 2003) (REUTERS ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE/ PAN OF EXTERIOR OF IRAQI MUSEUM 0.05 2. CLOSE OF IRAQI MUSEUM SIGN 0.08 3. WIDE OF U.S. SOLDIERS STANDING OUTSIDE OF MUSEUM FOR PRESS CONFERENCE 0.13 4. SMV U.S SOLDIERS LISTENING 0.15 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) COLONEL MATTHEW BOGDANOS, UNITED STATES MARINES, SAYING: "Please let me stress that the loss of a single piece of our shared history is a tragedy. But it is clear that the originally reported number of 170,000 missing antiquities was a gross, albeit dramatic, exaggeration." 0.36 6. WIDE OF PRESS 0.40 7. PAN TO SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) COLONEL MATTHEW BOGDANOS, UNITED STATES MARINES, SAYING: "Turning to the basement level magazine. The evidence here strongly suggests that this magazine was compromised not by random looters, but by thieves who must have had an intimate knowledge of the museum and its storage practices. For it is here that they attempted to steal the most trafficable and easily transportable items stored in the most remote corner of the museum." 1.09 8. SLV OF RECOVERED ANTIQUITIES ON TABLE 1.13 9. SLV UMERIAN STATUE 1.21 10. CLOSE OF TABLET FROM BABYLON 1.27 11. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. DONNY GEORGE, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH STUDIES, BOARD OF RESEARCH IN ANTIQUITIES, SAYING: "I don't think its time again and again to open that wound. Now I think it's the time to work together to restore what was stolen from the museum. The act has happened. And everybody knows the story. And now I think there is nobody to blame now. Now we are working together. I know it's a great effort done by Colonel Bogdanos' team, elsewhere to restore these these things. And for us, this is now the most important thing." 2.06 12. CLOSE OF SMALL POT 2.11 13. SMV DR. DONNY GEORGE STANDING NEAR ANTIQUITIES 2.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA2KTTNCVO82DRD80SAKF8L5CZU
- Story Text: The 170,000 items reported to have been stolen from
Iraqi Museum in the days after U.S. troops entered Baghdad was
said to be a "gross exaggeration," according to U.S. officials
in the Iraqi capital.
The U.S. marine colonel who was charged with
investigation the looting of the Iraqi Museum in the days
following the arrival of U.S. troops into Baghdad said on
Friday (May 16) that the actual number of antiquities stolen
from the museum is significantly less than what was originally
reported.
Speaking at an evening press conference outside of the
Iraqi Museum, Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, who headed the
investigation into the lost antiquities, said: "Please let me
stress that the loss of a single piece of our shared history
is a tragedy. But it is clear that the originally reported
number of 170,000 missing antiquities was a gross, albeit
dramatic, exaggeration."
During their investigation, Bogdanos said that they
categorized three types of thieves: 'indiscriminant looters',
a group who knew exactly what they were stealing, and another
group who had an 'inside knowledge' of the museum and its
workings.
Though he could not give an exact figure, many of
the antiquities had been returned during a 'no questions
asked' amnesty period.
Bogdanos said that his team found evidence that at least
some of those who took advantage of the chaos following the
war to steal priceless artefacts from the museum had 'inside'
knowledge of the museum, including keys to specific areas.
Bogdanos said: "Turning to the basement level magazine.
The evidence here strongly suggests that this magazine was
compromised not by random looters, but by thieves who must
have had an intimate knowledge of the museum and its storage
practices. For it is here that they attempted to steal the
most trafficable and easily transportable items stored in the
most remote corner of the museum."
Among the recovered items on display at the press
conference on display at the press conference included a
Sumerian statue dating around 2700 B.C., which was one of the
earliest examples of sculpture, a Babylonian Cuneform, and a
6th century B.C. pot which was found in an archaeological site
just north of Baghdad.
Dr. Donny George, Director of Research Studies, Board of
Research in Antiquities, had criticized the U.S. troops for
failing to sufficiently protect the museum said that it was
now time to move on. Dr. George said, "The act has happened.
And everybody knows the story. And now I think there is nobody
to blame now. Now we are working together. I know it's a great
effort done by Colonel Bogdanos' team, elsewhere to restore
these these things. And for us, this is now the most important
thing."
Bogdanos was unable to give even a range for the actual
number of antiquities still missing from the museum, saying
only that the number was in the 'thousands'.
A significant number are allegedly held in two vaults of the
Iraqi Central Bank, which have not yet been opened. And many
items were taken in the weeks prior to the war to a 'secret'
location that will not be revealed by museum officials until
U.S. forces leave Iraq and a new Iraqi government has been
established.
Bogdanos said the international investigation will continue
and the real damage done to the museum's collection will not
be known for months.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None