The Iraqi Ministry of Culture’s General Authority for Antiquities and Heritage announced on Sunday its readiness to open an exhibition showcasing significant artefacts that have been repatriated since 2022.
According to Al-Sumaria News, Azhar Bahaa Sabri, the head of the Artifact Reception Department, revealed that Iraq has successfully recovered 197 artefacts from various Arab and foreign countries.
These pieces, recently retrieved from nations such as Oman, the UK, Norway, Turkey, Germany, and the USA, are documented with museum numbers and were recovered with the help of the ministry’s Recovery Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sabri detailed the specific recoveries, including 17 pieces from Oman, 7 from London, 2 from Norway, 6 from Turkey, 125 previously loaned for study from Germany, and 40 from the United States.
These artefacts will be assessed by the Authority’s Technical Committee for examination and registration before being transferred to museum storage for preservation and display.
Furthermore, Sabri highlighted that many artefacts were obtained either through seizures by Iraqi citizens or security forces at customs or handed over by the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs from abroad.
These pieces are then processed under strict storage control using a special form developed by the Technical Committee.
The initiative underscores Iraq’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its cultural heritage, showcasing the country’s commitment to preserving its historical legacy for future generations.
