Minister of Culture: Two artifacts recovered from Italy

INA - BAGHDAD 

The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, announced on Saturday, the imminent recovery of two artifacts from Italy, while confirming the continuation of the process of returning Iraqi antiquities from all countries of the world.

"On this day in 2014, the terrorist gangs of Daesh invaded the city of Mosul and destroyed all existing antiquities, as today we celebrate in the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad on the occasion of returning more than six thousand artifacts in the presence of PM Muhammed S. Al-Sudani, who raised the red wax on the boxes containing these antiquities, which were recovered from Britain after more than a hundred years of their presence in the British Museum," said Al-Badrani to the Iraqi News Agency - INA.

He added, "The Prime Minister also opened Abdullah Al-Sarraf Hall for Coins, which dates back to distant ages, some of which are historical, another Islamic, pre-Islamic, and another section of the countries that ruled Islam from the Umayyad, Abbasid, and Ottoman periods to the present day."

"Two artifacts will be received from Italy this week, and work is underway to recover all artifacts, wherever they are found in countries of the world," confirmed Al-Badrani, adding "The doors of the museum will be opened to school students, and programs will be prepared to visit the Iraqi Museum and conduct adequate explanations about the antiquities. The museum is available to everyone every day."

On the other hand, the Director General of the Museums Department, Muna Yas, said to INA that "Iraq was able to return six thousand artifacts loaned to Britain in 1923, which are parts of complete clay pieces," pointing out, "Most of the pieces from the Babylonian periods."