Iraq's Archaeological Sites Face Looting, Urbanisation Threats

Anarchic development and looting in war-torn Iraq are the greatest threats to its treasure trove of archaeological heritage, warned Iraqi archaeologist Lamia al-Gailani  (Karen Dabrowska, "Iraq's Archaeological Sites Face Looting, Urbanisation Threats" https://thearabweekly.com 2019-01-19).

Gailani, an associate researcher at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies, said more than one-third of the site of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, on the outskirts of Mosul, has been covered with houses. "Archaeology is never a priority for any government," Gailani said. "It has always been like that and now, with Iraq's financial difficulties, the last place they want to put money is into archaeology."

Gailani left Iraq to live in Britain in the 1970s, but has returned to her homeland for a few months every year to continue her work. She said she was particularly concerned about the looting and sale of artefacts, illicit trade among militiamen and Islamic State militants who destroyed many of Iraq's archaeological riches.

"One way to stop the looters is for the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) to start digging for the objects looters are after," she said. "The board has a large excavations and survey department but it has to cover the whole of Iraq. We have thousands of archaeological sites and the department does not have enough staff. They can't stop the looting and much of the development on archaeological sites." 

But Western museums and collectors could help to save the objects.