From Dr Eleanor Robson of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq (BSAI)
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Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 09:31:16 -0500
From: Eleanor Robson <[log in to unmask]>
* This the latest news received from William Sumner, the Arts, Monuments
and Museums Officer of the US Civil Affairs Brigade in Baghdad. As we all
feared, the large-scale looting of sites has begun...
Eleanor Robson
<[log in to unmask]>
________________
Dr Robson,
Sorry for the extreme delay in messages-- we have had an awful time
with communications.
Everything here is going well and the museum is looking much better.
Hopefully I will be getting money to replace doors, windows, etc.
Outside of Baghdad, things are grim. We had word that there is mass
looting of three Sumerian cites just north of Nassiria (spelling is
way off...) Apparently, truck loads of tablets are being taken out of
the ground. The looters are in groups of 300+, all well armed.
I'm currently assessing other monuments/sites within Baghdad and
things generally look pretty good. (Except for typical looting
damage). Once I get a chance, I'll try to send pictures to you all
of the Museum storeroom, etc.
On a final note, locals are starting to turn in artifacts from the
museum. We have the location of several thousand scrolls, etc, but
we are not going to move them yet since it is safer where they are.
(Despite what the papers are saying.) I'm returning several large
pots and an old painting this afternoon.
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