November 3, 2003
by John M. Russell
Restored foot of the Warka vase, still attached to its display pedestal (© J. Russell)
The 812th Military Police Company, working with the Iraqi police, have again reclaimed items on the “30 Most Wanted List” of antiquities stolen from the Iraq Museum. They recovered the Nimrud brazier from three men on November 3, 2003, and upon questioning them learned that the Bassetki statue was hidden in a cesspool. Both items were returned to the museum undamaged. A press conference was held yesterday to celebrate the return of these items, in addition to a group of Babylonian stone vessels and a group of 820 objects recovered by the Iraqi Italian Institute of Archaeological Sciences. John Russell has again provided the AIA with descriptions of the objects and their recovery, including pictures taken at the press conference…
