Already through the Islamic State group, which trafficked with artifacts to finance their struggle, Iraq’s cultural heritage is now threatened by the new coronavirus. According to an Iraqi researcher, raids on archaeological sites have “never ceased. “Attempts to engage the new coronavirus have increasingly absorbed government power and resources.
Baghdad (AsiaNews) – The COVID-19 pandemic has affected only people, but also the treasures of Iraq’s history and archaeology, which houses the world-renowned sites of ancient Mesopotamia.
Already a primary target of the Islamic State (IS) group, which stole and sold archaeological artifacts on the black market to finance its activities, Iraq is now a simple target of theft due to a lack of staff to treat and monitor archaeological sites. .
According to research conducted in the 2000s through the Office of the Antiquities Inspector, the governorate of Dhi Qar, in the southeast of the country, has more than 1,200 known archaeological sites.
One such site is the 6,000-year-old ancient city of Ur, which according to biblical tradition is the birthplace of Patriarch Abraham, who since its discovery in 1855 has excavated 5% of its dominance.
Apart from this mythical place, which is absolutely fenced, other archaeological sites are not enough because Iraq still lacks the infrastructure and human resources necessary to safeguard its rich history.
These have been attacked “practically since they existed,” archaeologist Ali al-Rubaie told the Middle East Eye.
“But in recent decades, which began with sanctions opposed to Saddam Hussein’s Baath regime [1990-2003], there has been a sharp increase in looting activities. Despite the lifestyles of severe punishment, activity has never ceased. “
One of the reasons for looting is that the preservation of archaeological sites was never a precedent for the Iraqi government and the U. S. military after the 2003 invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein.
Special forces trained to protect antiquities were diverted to other missions or to preserve army and government facilities or strategically important locations.
Despite the situation, academics and experts now call for greater investments in Iraq’s archaeological heritage, either in terms of budget and personnel.
Antiquities are regularly smuggled into Jordan or Turkey before being sold on the region’s black markets and end up in personal collections.
The challenge has been made worse by last year’s Iraqi economic crisis, social unrest and pandemic, which have impoverished a resource-rich country that rarely has a population.
Moreover, attempts to involve COVID-19 have monopolized much of the government’s power and resources, cutting the already insignificant investment allocated to the country’s cultural heritage.
Finally, even less so, the collapse in oil costs has limited customers for recovery in an economy that is expected to decline by 10% this year.
Already through the Islamic State group, which trafficked with artifacts to finance their struggle, Iraq’s cultural heritage is now threatened by the new coronavirus. According to an Iraqi researcher, raids on archaeological sites have “never stopped. “Attempts to engage the new coronavirus have absorbed more and more government power and resources.