Iraqi excavators collect 4,000 artifacts in two years

 

Azzaman, April 5, 2009

 

Iraqi archaeologists have dug up 4,000 artifacts in their 2007 and 2008 excavations, a senior official said.

 

Abdulzahra al-Taqani, Tourism and Antiquities Ministry spokesman, said the finds were collected from 19 ancient sites Iraqi scientists excavated in the past two years.

 

“The excavations have concentrated on six provinces in southern and central Iraq,” he said.

 

Taqani said the excavation campaign was the first organized effort by the Antiquities Department since the 2003-U.S invasion of Iraq.

 

“The improvement in security helped a great deal in expanding excavations in the country,” Taqani added.

 

The artifacts belong to various historical periods of Mesopotamia or ancient Iraq. They include statues of different sizes, pottery pieces, household utensils, cylinder seals and objects made of precious stone.

 

Taqani said the department was planning additional excavation campaigns and was working on how to protect ancient sites from illegal diggers and smugglers.

 

The Iraq Museum has opened its doors to visitors but the pieces on show are only a fraction of what the museum had on display prior to U.S. invasion.

 

However, Taqani said more than 50,000 original museum pieces were still locked in secure areas.

 

Antiquities Department officials say they will have them displayed once conditions return to normal in the country.

 

There were more than 100,000 artifacts in the Iraq Museum prior to U.S. invasion and at least 200,000 more pieces were kept in the museum warehouses for research purposes.