Date
|
Source |
Summary |
| |
|
|
| 9/12/2003 |
BBC |
U.K.'s
House of Lords proposed plans for clamping down on the black market
of stolen antiquities. The bill has already cleared the House of
Commons and stands a good chance of becoming law. |
| 9/10/2003 |
Associated
Press |
U.S.
investigators say that 3,000 stolen artifacts have been recovered
but that the total number of missing objects has yet to be determined. |
| 8/2/2003 |
New
York Times |
This
article looks at the complex issue of provenance and the ethics
that surround it, particularly whether or not to include pieces
that lack proper provenance in a public exhibition or publication.
UPM Director Dr. Jeremy A. Sabloff is quoted as saying "that
accepting objects of no or dubious provenance furthers and creates
an environment for additional looting, and that destroys the cultural
heritage." |
| 7/3/2003 |
CNN.com |
The
Iraq National Museum opened its doors to the public Thursday, July
3rd for a 2-hour exhibition, in which the royal treasures of Nimrud
were displayed for the first time at the Museum since they were
uncovered by archaeologists in the late 1980s. |
| 6/17/2003 |
Philadelphia
Inquirer |
An
editorial written by UPM's Dr. Richard Zettler was published in
the Philadelphia Inquirer. Zettler states that although the initial
reports of the looting were in fact exaggerated, the looting was
real and the losses were nevertheless staggering. |
| 6/15/2003 |
Washington
Post |
The
Washington Post responds to the "dramatic reduction in the
estimated losses from the looting of the museum, from initial reports
of 170,000 objects–the entire collection–missing or damaged
to recent claims of only 33 objects lost. |
| 6/14/2003 |
Washington
Post |
The
Washington Post details the return of a 5,000-year-old Warka vase
to the Iraq National Museum. |
| 6/12/2003 |
Reuters |
This
online feature details how the famed Warka Vase was recently returned
to the Iraq National Museum. |
| 6/10/2003 |
Archaeology.org |
Read
an interview with Maguire Gibson of the Oriental Institute, that
details his work in Iraq, what he told the Dept. of Defense, and
the significance of preserving Iraq's cultural heritage. |
| 6/10/2003 |
Archaeology.org |
Read
American Institute for Archaeology's President Jane C. Waldbaum's
editorial on the looting of the Iraq National Museum, responding
to claims that media coverage of the looting has been exaggerated
and misleading. |
| 6/10/2003 |
The
Guardian (UK) |
This
article responds to the ever-changing scope of the looting, explaining
how and why the number of items thought to be missing continues
to change. |
| 6/7/2003 |
New
York Times |
Artifacts
from the archaeological site of Nimrud that were thought to have
been looted were recovered from a vault in Iraq's Central Bank. |
| 6/2/2003 |
Los
Angeles Times |
UC
Berkeley plans to use digitally recreate the collections that were
looted or destroyed, using archived photos and historical records.
In addition, Berkely's team seeks to create a much more general
database, covering a full range of Iraq's archaeological sites and
artifacts. |
| 5/28/2003 |
New
York Times |
With
heavily armed groups plundering Iraq's archaeological sites, a global
network continues to expand, "depleting the immense reserves
of ancient art and historical data that lie buried in cities that
once made up the Babylonian and Sumerian empire." |
| 5/27/2003 |
Newsday |
According
to a U.S. Customs special agent, some artifacts thought to have
been looted are safe in the Central Bank's vaults, but that the
vaults are not accessible yet due to flooding. |
| 5/23/2003 |
New
York Times |
Plundering
of Iraqi archaeological sites continues throughout the nation. According
the Donny George, director of research at Iraq's State Board of
Antiquities and Heritage, 'every major site in southern Iraq is
in danger.' |
| 5/22/2003 |
timesleader.com |
Read
the text of a resolution approved Thursday by the United Nations
Security Council lifting sanctions on Iraq and authorizing the United
States and Britain to run the country |
| 5/19/2003 |
Associated
Press |
Plundering
of Iraq's archaeological sites, which began during the 1991 Gulf
War, continues to escalate, according to UNESCO. |
| 5/16/2003 |
USA
Today |
AP
reports that though thousands of artifacts looted from the Iraq
National Museum have been located, the Iraqis are in some cases
refusing to turn them over to American authorities. |
| 5/13/2003 |
Almanac
(Univ. of PA) |
Read
University of Pennsylvania President Dr. Judith Rodin's statement. |
| 5/12/2003 |
Interpol |
On
its website, Interpol posts digital images of artifacts confirmed
to have been stolen from the Iraq National Museum. |
| 5/11/2003 |
Salon.com |
Cuneiform
tablets being sold on the internet, on auction sites like e-bay,
is nothing new, but the issue gets a new spin with the recent looting
of Iraq's cultural treasures. |
| 5/11/2003 |
Newsday |
According
to Mahmoud Qteishat, Director-General of Jordan's Customs Department,
"the Customs Department foiled several smuggling attempts of
items apparently stolen from the Iraqi National Museum or the presidential
palaces." |
| 5/9/2003 |
Associated
Press |
U.S.
officials say they have located the main vaults of Iraq's central
bank, containing some of the National Museum's artifacts that were
sent off site for secure storage—and found they were apparently
not looted. |
| 5/8/2003 |
CNN.com |
After
recovering more than 40,000 manuscripts and 700 artifacts in a hidden
vault at the Iraq National Museum, officials are reassessing the
scope of what is missing. Although the U.S. Bureau of Immigration
and Customs has documentation and photographs to confirm only 38
missing pieces, the number of missing uncatalogued items has yet
to be determined. |
| 5/7/2003 |
Library
of Congress |
Type
in 'HR 2009' in the Bill Number search box to view the Iraqi Cultural
Heritage Protection Act, which aims to 'provide for the recovery,
restitution, and protection of the cultural heritage of Iraq.'
To read the Archaeological Institute of America's call for support
of HR 2009 and to find out how to contact your member of congress,
click here. |
| 5/4/2003 |
Washington
Post |
An
editorial piece detailing what actions need to be taken in the effort
to assess the damage and recover what has been lost. Contributors
to this piece include UPM's own Dr. Richard Zettler. |
| 4/30/2003 |
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution |
Read
about how experts and officials are "adapting the concept of
Wild West wanted posters to the Internet age and international art
markets." |
| 4/30/2003 |
National
Geographic |
The
search for looted artifacts is being conducted in Baghdad, at Iraq's
borders, and, now, on the world wide web. |
| 4/30/2003 |
Orlando
Sentinel
CBS
News
|
Archaeologists
muse about the priceless significance of the missing artifacts. |
| 4/29/2003 |
BBC
News |
In
the wake of what has been called a 'cultural disaster,' experts
and officials, including the Director of the Iraq National Museum,
met in London to discuss ways to preseve and reconstruct what is
left of Iraq's antiquities. |
| 4/28/2003 |
ABC
News |
The
task of piecing together the past falls once again to archaeologists,
who are gathering information in order to assess what exactly has
been lost due to looting at the Iraq National Museum. |
| 4/27/2003 |
Baltimore
Sun |
Article
looks at the efforts being taken to recover Iraq's looted artifacts |
| 4/27/2003 |
Austin
American-Statesman |
An
online 'hot sheet' of missing artifacts is in the works, with hopes
of pictures and descriptions being posted on the worldwide web |
| 4/27/2003 |
Minneapolis-St.
Paul Star Tribune |
This
feature looks at what hasn't been lost--museums worldwide
have extensive collections of Mesopotamian artifacts, including
the University of Pennsylvania Museum and the British Museum |
| 4/24/2003 |
Washington
Post |
In
the latest of reported looting cases, several US soldiers are questioned
over the alleged theft of part of a $650 million cash haul |
| 4/24/2003 |
Associated
Press |
Members
of the media and military have been caught attempting to ship Iraqi
paintings, weapons, and other 'war trophies' to the US; items seized
at airports in London, Boston, and Washington |
| 4/24/2003 |
BBC
News |
An
American television news employee is accused of bringing stolen
Iraqi paintings into the US as 'war trophies' |
| 4/22/2003 |
Time
Magazine |
Article
seeks to answer the not-so-simple question, 'Could the U.S. have
stopped the looting of [Iraq's] priceless antiquities?' |
| 4/22/2003 |
Washington
Post |
The
search for looted antiquities continues; experts claim that though
some of the 'choicest' ojects might have left Iraq and entered the
hands of collectors, most are likely to be still inside the country,
"stashed under beds, in cabinets and basements, or even in
Saddam Hussein's labyrinthine tunnels." |
| 4/20/2003 |
Philadelphia
Inquirer |
Editorial
by UPM's Dr. Jeremy A. Sabloff and Dr. Richard Zettler appears in
the Philadelphia Inquirer, calling on the American military, Iraqi
officials, museums, and cultural organizations worldwide to cooperate
in an effort to seek out stolen Iraqi antiquities |
| 4/18/2003 |
Washington
Post |
Article
focuses on the extensive collection of cuneiform tablets that have
been pillaged, and possibly destroyed; Quotes UPM's Dr. Stephen
Tinney, Assoc. Curator of UPM's Babylonian Section, who oversees
the Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary Project |
| 4/18/2003 |
Philadelphia
Inquirer |
Experts
claim that some of the looting was carried out in an organized manner,
that the individuals clearly knew what they were looking for and
where to find it, suggesting they were professionals. Some experts
claim that the looting was an organized operation planned outside
of Iraq. |
| 4/18/2003 |
American
Association of Museums |
AAM
is currently collaborating with representatives of the U.S. cultural
heritage community in an effort to gather facts and assess the needs
of professionals in Iraq, and thus determine what steps can be taken
to help with recovery efforts. Check out AAM's Iraq-related web
feature for their latest news. |
| 4/18/2003 |
Google |
Google's
World News search option is featuring the looting and the hope for
recovery of Iraq's antiquities; the page is regularly updated as
addional stories are released and |
| 4/18/2003 |
Washington
Post |
Quoting
UPM's Dr. Richard Zettler, the Post focuses on the latest loss,
the burning of Iraq's National Library |
| 4/18/2003 |
Philadelphia
Inquirer |
Article
claims that the Pentagon received, yet ignored, warnings of potential
looting of Iraq's museums |
| 4/17/2003 |
BBC
News |
Experts
believe organized gangs of international art traffickers were behind
the looting of Iraqi Museums |
| 4/17/2003 |
Associated
Press |
Protesting
the looting of Iraqi antiquities, three members of the White House
Cultural Property Advisory Committee have resigned |
| 4/17/2003 |
UNESCO |
Experts’
meeting at UNESCO issues recommendations to safeguard Iraqi Cultural
Heritage
***UNESCO maintains a regularly updated website on the efforts being
taken to preserve Iraq's cultural heritage and is included on this
site's list of related links |
| 4/17/2003 |
Nightline
(ABC News) |
TV
interview with several international officials and archaeologists
addressing the looting of Iraqi artifacts (order
transcript)
Online article looks at how looting has spread to Basra, Iraq's
second largest city, where hotels, banks, hospitals, and schools
are being plundered by civilians |
| 4/16/2003 |
Washington
Times |
Preliminary
overview of the looting of Iraqi Museums that makes reference to
the important Mesopotamian collections at UPM |
| 4/16/2003 |
New
York Times |
American
officials respond to claims that they ignored experts' and scholars'
warnings of potential lootings |
| 4/16/2003 |
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette |
Article
featuring UPM that addresses the efforts being taken to prevent
Iraqi treasures from reaching the black market |
| 4/16/2003 |
Philadelphia
Inquirer |
Report
of looting and arson at Iraq's National Museum and Iraq's principal
Islamic library, where several priceless copies of the Koran were
stored |
| 4/15/2003 |
Christian
Science Monitor |
A
focus on the archaeological site of Ur, quoting UPM's Dr. Richard
Zettler |
| 4/15/2003 |
CENTCOM
(United States Central Command) |
In
this day's Central Command briefing, Brigadier General Vincent Brooks,
Deputy Director of Operations, responds to the looting and informs
the public what steps CENTCOM has taken in order to recover the
stolen artifacts and prevent them from reaching the black market |
| 4/12/2003 |
Philadelphia
Inquirer |
Philadelphia
Inquirer's first report of the looting of Iraq's National Museum
in Baghdad |
| 3/21/2003 |
National
Geographic |
An
early overview of the potential looting that may (and eventually
did) occur in Iraq's historical sites/buildings |
| 3/1/2003 |
CNN.com |
An
early article that states archaeologists' fear for the security
of Iraq's artifacts; features a photo gallery of artifacts from
Ur, part of UPM's currently traveling exhibition "Treasures
from the Royal Tombs of Ur" |
