Iraq to display recovered artifacts in secure museum halls
Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has directed the allocation of fortified exhibition halls to preserve and display recovered antiquities, including artifacts previously stored at the Central Bank of Iraq and others recently repatriated from abroad.
On Thursday, al-Sudani visited the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad, where he inaugurated an exhibition showcasing artifacts retrieved by the government from several countries.
As part of his tour, al-Sudani inspected the museum’s storage facilities, which house the famed Nimrud Treasure and other valuable antiquities that had been held at the Central Bank since the 1990s. The artifacts were transferred to the museum two days ago and will be displayed in a specially designed hall to ensure their preservation and accessibility to the public.
Al-Sudani reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding Iraq’s cultural heritage, emphasizing the “historical significance of Mesopotamian civilizations, which have contributed to human progress for thousands of years.” He also sought to counter speculation about the disappearance or loss of these treasures, particularly the Nimrud Treasure.
“Artifacts previously stored at the Central Bank will be exhibited in high-security halls with advanced preservation standards, enabling both local and international visitors to view them,” the prime minister said, stressing the need to enhance the museum’s infrastructure to attract global interest and highlight Iraq’s stability.
The Nimrud Treasure, a collection of gold jewelry and ornaments inlaid with precious stones, dates back to the Neo-Assyrian period (911–612 BCE). Other notable artifacts include the statue of Gudea, ruler of the ancient Sumerian city-state of Lagash (2144–2124 BCE), a bronze mask representing King Sargon of Akkad (2370–2230 BCE), and various significant objects.
Meanwhile, the recently recovered artifacts—retrieved from the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Jordan—span various periods of Iraq’s ancient history. These include more than 6,000 cuneiform tablets, inscribed cones, stone slabs, cylinder seals, diverse coinage, figurines, a stone stela, and a collection of cuneiform texts from the Old Babylonian period. Also among the recovered items are Mandaean scrolls, ivory carvings, gold vessels in the Assyrian style, ceramic plaques, and significant artifacts from the Royal Cemetery of Ur.
