Iraq's Antiquities at Most Risk Now

ByABC News
April 9, 2003, 3:46 PM

April 10 -- John Russell is worried about his friends who are armed and ready to defend some of the things they treasure most Iraq's antiquities.

Iraq is valued among archaeologists as the cradle of civilization, and is home to an estimated 10,000 ancient archaeological sites, possibly more. In Baghdad, where looters began to ravage government buildings on Wednesday, following the arrival of U.S. troops, the government-owned Iraq National Museum hosts some of the most prized collections of ancient and Islamic art.

This is where Russell, a specialist in Iraqi antiquities at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, believes his Iraqi friends have settled in to defend ancient artifacts.

"They said they would be staying in the Baghdad museum for the duration of the conflict to defend it from looters," Russell said. "They may have guns. I'm very anxious that coalition soldiers not confuse them with combatants."

Packed with Artifacts

Archaeologists and historians have long been concerned that the conflict in Iraq would decimate one of the richest collections in the world. Six thousand years ago, the region was known Mesopotamia, a civilization which rose along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Some estimate nearly every acre of the country contains ancient remains.

In March, seven prominent scholars sent a fervent plea to President Bush, U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan, and Prime Minister Tony Blair that armies and governments try and safeguard as many archaeological sites as possible.

Russell says the time to focus guarding these treasures is now.

"This is the moment to act," he said. "Sites that once had guards probably don't now and all museums are vulnerable."

So far, reports suggest U.S. troops have treaded over at least one site ancient Babylon. The Reuters news agency said that U.S. forces had moved through the location of the ancient King Nebuchadnezzar's city on Wednesday. A tank from the 101st Airborne Division rumbled onto the main Babylon site, containing elaborate reconstructions of the city. A general rebuked the move.