This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
The Looting and Recovery of Iraqi Treasures
Part of a beheaded sculpture lies among rubble after a mob of looters ransacked and looted Iraq's largest archeological museum in Baghdad.
Listen
0:00
Listen
Milking scene from the Temple of Ninhursag, from Tell al Ubaid, c. 2400 B.C.
This alabaster relief is one of three fragments from a single stela that dates to the time of the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia, c. 2334-2154 B.C.
Many of the most important artifacts of human history were collected in Baghdad's National Museum of Iraq -- and then looted amid the chaos of the American-lead invasion two years ago.
Though quite a few of these objects have been recovered, many more have not. A new book, The Looting of the Iraq Museum, tries to create a virtual museum with descriptions and pictures of the treasures.
The director of the museum talks about the looted treasures of Babylon, and the few that have made their way home.
Guest:
Donny George, director of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad; wrote the foreword for the new book The Looting of the Iraq Museum, Baghdad: The Lost Legacy of Ancient Mesopotamia
Sponsored message
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
