Mesopotamia, from the Tabula Peutingeriana, National Library, Vienna

This exceptional heritage is exposed to a number of dangers. The first Gulf War of 1991, and the lack of appropriate care over the following years, have already taken their toll. A new armed conflict, and the period of turmoil which would presumably follow, might have more serious consequences for the state of conservation of these sites, as well as of other significant cultural sites and movable and immovable properties located throughout the territory.

Iraq and the World Heritage Convention

In previous years, Iraq had significantly contributed to the efforts of UNESCO for the protection of the cultural heritage, by supporting its International Safeguarding Campaigns. One of the first States to join, Iraq ratified the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage already in 1974.

Despite the undisputed richness of its heritage, however, only two sites in Iraq have been inscribed to this day on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the City of Hatra, an important centre prospered around the second and third century CE between the Roman Empire and the Parthian Kingdom, which was inscribed in 1985; and Ashur, the first Capital of the Assyrian Kingdom and a very important religious centre from the third to the first millenium BCE; inscribed in 2003. 

Hatra, aerial view (from Henry Stierlin, "Cités du désert : Pétra, Palmyre, Hatra", found in "Hatra, Citta' del Sole" catalogue of an exhibition organized by the Italian Archaeological Mission to Hatra)

In the year 2000, however, Iraq submitted a new "Tentative List", i.e. a list of sites that the country considers as priority for nomination in the coming years (see map). This Tentative List contained seven sites, from the Sumerian City-State of Ur to the Islamic Fortress of Al-Ukhaidar.

Then in July 2003, during the 27th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, Ashur (Qal’at Sherqat) was simultaneously inscribed on both the World Heritage List and on List of World Heritage in Danger. When the property was nominated before the conflict, a large dam project threatened the site, which would have been partially flooded by a reservoir. While the dam project has been suspended by the current administration, the Committee considered that its possible future construction, as well as the present lack of adequate protection, justified the inscription of the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger. 

Much remains to be done, however, to ensure that the outstanding diversity of the Iraqi heritage is adequately reflected in the World Heritage List. If and when the remaining six sites on the Tentative List are all inscribed on the World Heritage List and protected under the Convention, this would still only cover a very small portion, though very representative, of the incredibly rich heritage of the "Land between the Two Rivers."

Other UNESCO Conventions for the protection of the cultural heritage

Beside the 1972 World Heritage Convention, Iraq is a also State Party to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict (the Hague, 1954), to its 1954 Protocol, and to the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (Paris, 1970), two Conventions adopted by UNESCO in its effort to protect cultural heritage.

During and after the 1991 conflict, the Iraqi authorities informed the Director-General of damage to the cultural heritage of Iraq. Concerning movable objects, in October 1991 the Permanent Delegation of Iraq to UNESCO transmitted to the Secretariat four volumes of documentation on items missing from a number of Iraqi provincial museums and requested assistance in their recovery. UNESCO forwarded copies of these volumes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the auction house Sotheby's (London) for the information of the London market.

This close-circuit camera security system at the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad, as well as a new air-conditioning system, have been installed with UNESCO financial assistance in the year 2000. (photograph by G.Boccardi, UNESCO WHC)
	The Qasr Al-Abbasi, in Baghdad, had been partially affected during the 1991 war. The monument, today housing the famous cultural Institution "Bayt Al Hikma", was rehabilitated with support from UNESCO in 1999. (photograph by G.Boccardi, UNESCO WHC)

UNESCO also issued in March 1995 a press release alerting the museum community, collectors and art dealers against any purchase of artefacts possibly stolen in Iraq. On 1 August 1995, moreover, the Organization published a notice of certain representative missing pieces including their photographs and detailed description.

This sculpted head, fortunately recovered by the Iraqi authorities, had been looted from a site and cut into pieces in view of its illicit export. (photograph by G.Boccardi, UNESCO WHC)

It is important to stress that the principles of protecting and preserving cultural property in the event of armed conflict are not only shared as binding treaty-law principles by 103 States Party to the 1954 Convention but, according to Resolution 3.5 of the twenty-seventh session of the General Conference of UNESCO (November 1993), they could also be considered part of international customary law.

For further information on the Hague Convention and the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property click here.