Treasures lost in Iraq Invasion restored and soon on Google

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has announced Google will be displaying the lost treasurers of Iraq next year on the Internet.

Many priceless artifacts were lost from the “Cradle of Civilization” during the 2003 invasion by the US. Looters took advantage of the chaos to loot items that dated back over eight thousand years.

Iraq Museum in Baghdad after looting in 2003, it has just re-opened to the public

Iraq is a country formed on the ancient historical lands of Babylon and Mesopotamia. As a crossroads of the ancient world, it was the historic site for the Jews, Persians, Assyrians, and Muslims.

In a culture of here and now, most of that is lost on the world today but there are people who like to see and read about the history of mankind.

“The history of the beginning of – literally – civilization is made right here and is preserved here in this museum,” Schmidt said at a ceremony attended by Iraqi officials.

“I can think of no better use of our time and our resources than to make the images and ideas from your civilization, from the very beginnings of time, available to billions of people worldwide,” he said.

“Schmidt said Google has taken some 14,000 photographs of the museum and its artifacts, and the images will be available online in early 2010. ” Washington Post

A visitor to Iraq’s National Museum on Monday. Only 8 of the museum’s 26 galleries are open. photo - Jehad Nga for The New York Times

If you can’t wait, a quick Google of “treasures of Iraq museum” will give you hours of browsing at sites like TREASURES OF THE IRAQ MUSEUM IN BAGHDAD ,  Lost Treasurers of Iraq at the University of Chicago, and a book from 1975 long before the current troubles Ancient Iraq: Gem Between Two Rivers.

There are more than 50 entries – books, magazines, CD’s and DVDs – at Amazon.com on the topic of Iraq Treasures

The BBC has a great photo essay this week with unique images.

If the artifacts can survive the wars of 8 thousand years, perhaps they will be kept intact through our age.

From stories at New York Times, Washington Post and BBC.