Stolen ancient artifacts, set to be returned to Iraq, were showcased in a ceremony in Rome. The event took place at the Iraqi embassy, where Saywan Sabir Mustafa Barzani, Iraq’s ambassador to Italy, viewed the items. Attendees included Michele Minetti, the head of the Italian Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Property, and a representative from the Italian police.
The displayed items included vases, pottery fragments, metal objects, and terracotta cones bearing royal inscriptions that commemorate the construction of temple buildings by King Gudea of Lagash (around 2200 BC–2150 BC), reflecting the grandeur of Mesopotamian civilization.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Barzani expressed his gratitude to the Italian Antiquities and Heritage Protection Unit for its efforts in facilitating the return of these artifacts. He also emphasized the strong collaboration between Iraq and Italy, particularly in safeguarding cultural heritage.
Barzani explained that Italian authorities were alerted to the sale of the five items and praised the embassy’s follow-up actions. This is not the first time the embassy has assisted in recovering stolen archaeological pieces; the latest return marks the fifth such occurrence, with the most recent return being in July 2024.
Iraq has been diligently working to recover thousands of stolen relics looted in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of 2003, during which many of the country’s archaeological sites were left unprotected. The looting spree also dates back to the 1990s when Iraq, suffering from severe sanctions, faced widespread poverty and a rise in smuggling.
Ambassador Barzani also acknowledged Italy’s vital role in safeguarding and returning these cultural treasures. Over the years, other significant efforts to recover looted artifacts have yielded success, including the return of over 3,000 clay tablets and seals in 2018, following a major investigation into a US store chain. In 2021, authorities from Iraq and the US successfully returned 17,000 ancient objects, including the famous Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, a 3,600-year-old relic of the ancient Akkadian epic.
