Iraq Cultural Heritage Conservation Initiative

Project Objectives
The primary objectives of the Iraq Cultural Heritage Conservation Initiative are:

to identify and address priorities for the conservation and management of archaeological and architectural sites in Iraq;
to develop long-term tools and professional capacities to support the role of the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) in the stewardship of Iraq's archaeological and architectural sites; and
to support conservation and management of archaeological and architectural sites in Iraq.

Project Overview Known as the Cradle of Civilization, Iraq contains more than ten thousand recorded archaeological sites and monuments. In addition, many thousands of sites have not been excavated. Following the 1991 Persian Gulf War, widespread looting decimated hundreds of these sites. Postwar sanctions prohibited Iraq from receiving international assistance, leaving the country's cultural patrimony in the hands of a severely depleted antiquities staff hampered by inadequate expertise and funding.


The ziggurat of Aqar Kuf, founded in the 14th century BC under the Kassite kingdom. Erosion has left only its mudbrick core. The modern construction at its base interprets the original extent of the ziggurat. Photo: Courtesy of John Russell.	A view of the city of Hatra. The city, fortified and most prominent under the the Parthian Empire, withstood multiple invasions by the Romans in the 2nd century AD, thanks to its strong fortificatons.The city's remnants, such as the Maran Temple seen here, blend Hellenistic and Roman architectural influences. Photo: Courtesy of Joanne Farchakh-Bajjaly.


	The ancient Sumerian city of Isin in southern Iraq, shown in 2004 following wide scale looting. Isin had its own kingship and was most prominent in the early 3rd and late 2nd millennia BC. Photo: Courtesy of John Russell.

Following the 2003 war, the principal focus of media attention has been on the looting and destruction of museums and archives in Baghdad and other cities. Less attention has been given to the destruction and endangerment of an untold number of archaeological sites, among them the ancient sites of Babylon, Nineveh, Ctesiphon, and the World Heritage Site of Hatra. In addition to the loss of artifacts, looting has resulted in the destruction of the region's archaeological record—a significant loss to the world's cultural heritage.

A number of Iraq's important historic architectural structures and complexes have been damaged or are endangered. These include the minaret of al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul, the spiral minaret of al-Mutawakkil's Mosque in Samarra, and the Qushla Administrative Complex—a group of Ottoman buildings in central Baghdad that served as the seat of government agencies, including ministries and courts. This complex and others were looted in the civil unrest following the 2003 conflict.


	Looters holes mar the ancient city of Mashkan Shapir in southern Iraq, which was the second capital of the kingdom of Larsa and at its height around 2000 BC. Photo: Courtesy of John Russell.

In response to this situation, the GCI and the World Monuments Fund (WMF) signed an agreement in March of 2004 with the Iraq Ministry of Culture and the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) to establish the GCI-WMF Iraq Cultural Heritage Conservation Initiative. In its work, the Initiative is collaborating with Iraqi officials and colleagues and is coordinating its efforts with those of UNESCO and other cultural institutions. This long-term initiative aims to mitigate threats to and repair damage sustained by Iraq's cultural heritage, and to rebuild the country's professional conservation and heritage management capacity.