[MSN] Catastrophe! The Looting and Destruction of Iraq's Past

[MSN]

http://oi.uchicago.edu/museum/special/catastrophe/

The Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago will present an
exhibit Catastrophe! 
The Looting and Destruction of Iraq's Past in Chicago from April 10 to
December 31, 2008. The opening date, April 10, marks the fifth anniversary
of the looting of the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad. 

The looting of the Iraq Museum was widely publicized in the international
press. However, it is less well known that ongoing looting of archaeological
sites poses an even greater threat to the cultural heritage of Iraq. The
exhibit "Catastrophe! The Looting and Destruction of Iraq's Past" 
and the April 12 symposium (see below) examine the ongoing destruction and
looting of Iraq's cultural heritage. 

Iraq, ancient Mesopotamia, is the cradle of civilization, the region that
spawned the seminal inventions of writing, the calendar, the wheel, and even
the concept of cities. The history of the world quite literally begins in
Mesopotamia, making the loss of its cultural patrimony a loss for all
humanity. 

Archaeologists involved with the exhibit include McGuire Gibson, University
of Chicago Professor of Mesopotamian Archaeology, Geoff Emberling, Director
of the Oriental Institute Museum, and exhibit co-curator, Katharyn Hanson 

The exhibit is organized around the following themes: 

The importance of archaeology to history and identity: Why does the past
matter? What can it tell us about ourselves and our community? 
Looting and damage to archaeological sites: dramatic photographs, including
recent satellite images, show illicit looting and destruction of sites. 
The threat of war: combat damage and the more significant construction
damage being done by the US military at important sites including Babylon,
Ur, and Samarra The importance of archaeological context: how much context
can tell us about an object and about the culture from which it came. 
Looted artifacts: the routes that looted artifacts take from Iraq to art
markets around the world, and where seizures have been made. 
The Iraq Museum five years later: what in fact was looted and the progress
of recovery efforts to date. 
What has been done and what can be done? The exhibit examines what efforts
are and can be made to stem the looting of archaeological sites in Iraq and
on a local and national level throughout the world A goal of the exhibit is
to encourage people to think about the importance of archaeology and
cultural heritage throughout the world, to ask questions such as: Why is
archaeology important? 
What does the past mean to me, my family, my community and my nation? What
can be done to preserve the past? How can individuals and communities as
well as larger bureaucratic organizations safeguard the records of the past?


Related Events:
Thursday, April 10 at 6:30 pm: Opening of the exhibit at the Oriental
Institute will feature a lecture by University of Chicago Professor of
Mesopotamian Archaeology, McGuire Gibson, followed by a candlelight vigil
commemorating the five years since the looting of the Museum in Baghdad. 
The vigil is one of many being held throughout the world, coordinated by
SAFE (Saving Antiquities for Everyone), a non-profit organization dedicated
to preserving cultural heritage worldwide. Free and open to the public. 

Saturday, April 12: A public symposium: "Looting the Cradle of Civilization:
The Loss of History in Iraq," will be presented at the Oriental Institute
from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Fee: $65 for Oriental Institute Members; $75 for
general public. Please call (773) 702-9507 for required pre- registion.
Speakers include: 

McGuire Gibson, Professor of Mesopotamian Archaeology, University of Chicago
Geoff Emberling, Director, Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago
Donny George, former Director, the Iraq National Museum, Baghdad John
Russell, Professor of Art, Massachusetts College, former Deputy and Senior
Advisor of Culture for the Coalition Provisional Authority (2003-2004)
Elizabeth Stone, Professor of Mesopotamian Archaeology at SUNY Stonybrook
University, New York Patty Gerstenblith, noted authority on cultural
property at De Paul University College of Law 

The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago is one of the world's
leading research centers for the study of the history, languages, and
cultures of ancient Iraq. The forerunner of the Institute first conducted
excavations in Iraq in 1903. Since its founding in 1919, the Oriental
Institute has been on the forefront of Middle Eastern archaeology,
undertaking excavations throughout the area. The Institute is home to the
greatest concentration of professional Mesopotamian scholars in the world,
and its archive houses thousands of images of excavations and of artifacts,
including objects recovered by University of Chicago archaeologists that
are, or used to be, in the Iraq Museum. 

The Oriental Institute Museum is located at 1155 East 58th Street, Chicago.
The Museum is open Tuesday, Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6:00
p.m., Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6:00
p.m. Suggested donation for admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children. For
information, call (773) 702-9514.