You probably heard about a recent auction in Paris of ancient Chinese art-pieces robbed by "the powers" in China during foreign occupation. It is pathetic that supposedly civilized nations use robbery while taking advantage of their military superitiority and unveiling their cultural inferiority. Contrary to what they pretend to be.
It will take decades or centuries. But sooner or later the legacy that Babylonian ancestors created will be again for their heirs in Iraq. Good news that some decent people gives back what was stolen by barbarians. Thank you for letting us know. Peace and best wishes. Xi On Jul 19, 10:08 am, "Sumerian.." <[email protected]> wrote: > [Iraqcrisis] "US military damaged ancient Babylon site" > Thursday, July 9, 2009 10:36 AM > > From: > [email protected] > > To: > [email protected] > "US military damaged ancient Babylon site > July 10, 2009 > > PARIS: Researchers working for the United Nations cultural agency say the US > military in Iraq inflicted considerable damage on one of the world's most > important archaeological sites at Babylon. > > UNESCO has vowed to make Babylon a World Heritage site to prevent similar > vandalism in future wars. > > Its ruins, 90 kilometres south of Baghdad, are considered one of the world's > Seven Wonders, and are more than 4000 years old. Soon after the US-led > invasion in 2003, the site became military "Camp Alpha". > > The UNESCO report presented yesterday says US troops and contractors dug > trenches several hundred metres long through sensitive areas, levelled > hilltops and drove heavy vehicles over the fragile > paving of once-sacred pathways. > > Yesterday the Dutch Government turned over dozens of antiquities stolen from > Iraq to Baghdad's ambassador and urged other countries to clamp down on the > illicit trade. > > The 69 pieces include cylindrical stone seals more than 4000 years old and a > terracotta relief depicting a bearded man praying. > > "These things should not be bought and sold," said Diederik Meijer, an > archaeologist with the Dutch National Museum for Antiquities, which will > display the treasures before they are returned to Iraq. > > Dr Meijer declined to put a value on the artefacts, saying it could encourage > illegal trade. > > Despite efforts to clamp down on the looting of historical sites, such theft > is still happening in Iraq. Dr Meijer showed an aerial photo of an official > dig surrounded by a landscape pockmarked with illegal excavations. > > The Dutch Science Minister, Ronald Plasterk, said the stolen artefacts were > surrendered by Dutch art traders after police informed them they were stolen. > US customs authorities and Interpol had alerted Dutch officials that the > items were being sold in the Netherlands. > > Mr Plasterk said the artefacts came from the "cradle of civilisation", the > area between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates once known as Mesopotamia. Among > other items Mr Plasterk handed to Iraq's ambassador, Siamand Banaa, was a > fragment of a flagstone with an inscription of King Nebuchadnezzar > dating from 570BC. > > Associated Press > > Source: The Sydney Morning > Herald"http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/us-military-damaged-ancient-bab... > > ======= > S1000+ > ======= --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World-thread" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/world-thread?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
