Stolen Jewelry Irak
| Iraqi police have seized 34 ancient Iraqi artefacts believed to
have been stolen from the Iraqi National Museum in the wake of
US-led invasion in 2003. |
Cylinder Seal Cap |
Assyrian Silver Jewelry |
Parthian Gold Wreath |
Semi-precious Stone Bead and Gold Necklace
from Nimrud |
Gold Necklace from Nimrud |
|
Artefacts recovered
Thursday,
August 03, 2006 12:38:10 pm found at timesnow.tv
The artefacts were seized on August 1 by Iraqi police in Al-Ahrar
district, northwest of Kut city, 170 km southeast of Baghdad.
“While patrolling the area, we chased a motorbike. The driver of
the motorbike managed to escape but a black plastic bag fell from
him. We found in the bag 34 pieces of artefacts believed to belong
to the Iraqi Museum,” said police sergeant Ali Mohammed Ridha.
The value of the pieces, which included statues and gold and silver
coins stamped on both sides with Arabic inscription and dating back
to Islamic period is not clear.
The statue was housed in the Iraqi National Museum until it and
thousands of other artefacts were looted following the 2003 invasion.
US customs officials recovered the statue in Syria earlier this year
and it was then taken to New York to be authenticated.
The artefacts include gold coins with Arabic inscriptions, dating
back to the country's Islamic period. They'll now take their place
along with the Museum's other treasures from ancient Mesopotamia,
one of the world's earliest civilisations.
( By David Pollard)
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