Baghdad Curator director
Iraq, Local, 6/17/2003

The curator of Baghdad's museum, Mrs. Nawal al-Mitwallu, said in a statement to the German Magazine Der Spiegel in its yesterday issue that about 10,000 pieces including 47 rare antiquities have disappeared during looting operations against the National Museum in Baghdad.

She explained that among the "47 rare big size antiquities" which were stolen were the head of a woman from "Urk" ( currently al-Warkaa ) in the Mesopotamia and the most ancient Copper- made large sculpture in the world made in 2250 BC in Akkad.

She added that antiquity treasures made of gold are located in the basement of the Central Bank in Baghdad and in secret areas that escaped the looting operations.

By the end of May, the director general of the Iraqi antiquities, Jaber Khalil, said that the two museums of Baghdad and al-Musil ( north ) were most vulnerable to looting operations following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime and the assessment of losses needs ( months of work) because of the lack of security in the country.

Previous Stories:
  Amman's symposium on Iraqi heritage protection   (6/11/2003)
  Iraqi antiquities seized at the Jordanian borders   (5/12/2003)
  Iraq restores back stolen artifacts   (5/6/2002)
  Babel artistic festival in Baghdad   (9/11/2001)
  Iraqi customs intensifies procedures to limit smuggling of antiquities   (11/18/1999)

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