Berlin, 25 July 2022 (TDI): Embassy of Iraq in Berlin received back 125 artifacts from the Institute of Near Eastern Archaeology, Frei Universität Berlin. These artifacts were borrowed for study since the 1990s, according to the statement by Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
العراق يتسلم (125) قطعة أثريّة مُستعارة من الجانب الألمانيّ لغرض الدراسةhttps://t.co/4zyYMTnD58
— وزارة الخارجية العراقية (@Iraqimofa) July 24, 2022
The artifacts are from the site of Abu Salabikh. This site is situated around 20 kilometers northwest of ancient Nippur in Al-Qadisiyah governorate in the center-south of Iraq. These artifacts are said to date back to the Uruk period (4000-3100 BC).
The handover ceremony of the artifacts was held at the Iraqi embassy in Berlin. During the ceremony, the representative of the Institute of Near Eastern Archaeology, Frei Universität Berlin explained that the German side is interested in the civilization of Mesopotamia, and it is one of the priorities of the archaeological authorities in Germany, according to the statement.
Iraq’s Ambassador in Berlin, Luqman Abdul Rahim, valued the efforts of the Institute in completing this process of studying. He further expressed his hopes for continued cooperation with the German side in the cultural field and archaeological excavations.
Archaeological sites across Iraq witnessed destruction, theft, and negligence during recent conflicts/wars in the country. Around 15 thousand artifacts were stolen from Baghdad Museum alone. Other than this, 32 thousand artifacts roughly were stolen from archaeological sites in Iraq after the American invasion.
Repatriation of Artifacts from the United States
Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs announced in January 2022 that Baghdad recovered five precious artifacts from the United States. This initiative by the US was seen as a step that was part of the efforts of concerned Iraqi authorities to recover smuggled artifacts over the past 30 years.
The stolen artifacts were presented to the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States, Fareed Yasseen, at a ceremony organized in New York. The ceremony also featured Manhattan’s District Attorney and Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security were also present. Two items seized from Michael Steinhardt and also three others from ongoing investigations were handed over.
