IRAQ: BAGHDAD'S ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM RANSACKED BY LOOTERS ISTO RE-OPEN NEXT MONTH AFTER MANY TREASURES FEARED LOST WERE FOUND.
Record ID:
648913
IRAQ: BAGHDAD'S ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM RANSACKED BY LOOTERS ISTO RE-OPEN NEXT MONTH AFTER MANY TREASURES FEARED LOST WERE FOUND.
- Title: IRAQ: BAGHDAD'S ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM RANSACKED BY LOOTERS ISTO RE-OPEN NEXT MONTH AFTER MANY TREASURES FEARED LOST WERE FOUND.
- Date: 8th June 2003
- Summary: (W5) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 8, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. WS: OF IRAQI MUSEUM. (2 SHOTS) 0.06 2. MLV: INTERIOR THE MUSEUM. 0.16 3. VARIOUS: ANTIQUITIES ON THE GROUND. (2 SHOTS) 0.30 4. VARIOUS/CU: OF SOME DESTROYED ANTIQUITIES. (3 SHOTS) 1.03 5. MV/TILT UP: BIG DESTROYED STATUE WITHOUT HEAD. 1.13 6. MLV: PHOTOGRAPHER NEAR THE STATUE. 1.18 7. MV: DR DONNY GEORGE, MUSEUM RESEARCH DIRECTOR, WALKING WITH JOURNALISTS. 1.24 8. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR DONNY GEORGE, MUSEUM RESEARCH DIRECTOR SAYING: "The vaults of the bank were opened and all our boxes were sealed as we have done that before, we have checked all materials. All materials is there, nothing is missing from all the things from the museum we had in the vaults of the central bank. From those vaults of course the vaults of the bank. From those vaults we got as I said some of gold material were discovered in Nimrud and well display them for you can can see them and one of the small gallery we have beside the large, Assyrian gallery that will open on the 3rd of July." 2.09 9. HAS/MV: REPORTERS. 2.10 10. ZOOM IN/SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR DONNY GEORGE, DIRECTOR -GENERAL OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES AT IRAQ'S BOARD OF ANTIQUITIES AND HERITAGE SAYING: "Yes, that is right, it is 33 pieces, they were 42 missing and nine pieces were brought back by young Iraqi people that they were in the Museum during the looting time, they took the material home and then they brought them back to us. Nine pieces were brought, they are very important pieces but still we have 33 pieces from the gallery are missing." 2.33 11. WS: U.S. SOLDIERS IN THE MUSEUM. 2.39 12. MV:THE MUSEUM EMPLOYEES PREPARING FOR OPENING THE MUSEUM. (2 SHOTS) 2.54 13. PAN: TO PLASTIC BAGS ON THE GROUND. 2.57 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd June 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVAE09FRFAUFF6Q7ITYYTJ7I5ZGK
- Story Text: Baghdad's famed antiquities museum, ransacked by
looters as Saddam Hussein's rule crumbled, will reopen next
month after many of the treasures feared lost forever were
found.
Almost all of the priceless items feared stolen from
the Baghdad Museum when it was ransacked by looters have been
found safe, the U.S.-led administration for Iraq said on
yesterday (7 June).
The failure of U.S. forces to prevent Baghdad Museum from
being plundered sparked a storm of protest around the world in
April.
The U.S. military said its men were initially too busy
fighting in the streets around the museum to halt the looting.
But many of the items were taken home by staff for
safe-keeping whilst others were found hidden in bank vaults.
A special team of U.S. investigators working at the museum
to check the extent of the looting said around 3,000 items
were still lost or stolen, compared with initial estimates of
up to 170,000. Most of the missing items were used for
research, rather than exhibition.
Museum research director Donny George said that among the
items that will be displayed once the museum opens beginning
of July will be the Treasure of Nimrud, found only last
Thursday (4 June) in the vault of a looted bank.
The priceless collection of Assyrian gold and gem-studded jewellery was
initially discovered between 1988 and 1990 in ancient royal
tombs below an Assyrian palace dating form the 9th century BC.
The collection was only exhibited briefly before being hidden
in the vault of the central bank ahead of the 1991 Gulf War.
"The vaults of the bank were opened and all our boxes were
sealed as we have done that before, we have checked all
materials. All materials is there, nothing is missing from all
the things from the museum we had in the vaults of the central
bank. From those vaults of course the vaults of the bank.
From those vaults we got as I said some of gold material were
discovered in Nimrud and well display them for you can can see
them and one of the small gallery we have beside the large,
Assyrian gallery that will open on the 3rd of July," said Dr
Donny George.
However, he did confirm 33 items from the main collection
were missing, probably stolen by professional thieves.
"Yes, that is right, it is 33 pieces, there were 42
missing and 9 pieces were brought back by young Iraqi people
that they were in the Museum during the looting time, they
took the material home and then they brought them back to us.
Nine pieces were brought, they are very important pieces but
still we have 33 pieces from the gallery are missing."
Despite the number of items found, Donny George said the
loss of these artefacts was a tragedy.
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