Iraq receives nearly 300 ancient artifacts through excavation in partnership with the British Museum

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities on Monday announced the receipt of 292 archaeological artifacts—mostly clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform script—recovered through an excavation partnership with the British Museum.

The artifacts, which date back to the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian civilizations, were unearthed at the ancient city of Kirsu in northern Dhi Qar governorate. The tablets contain literary and magical texts, officials said.

“We received 292 artifacts, most of them clay tablets inscribed in cuneiform script from three civilizations,” said Culture Minister Ahmed Fakak al-Badrani. “These pieces tell the story of our history and have endured despite environmental changes and the passage of time.”

The ministry thanked the British Museum team for its cooperation with the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage.

Ali Obaid Shalgham, head of the board, described Kirsu as a site of significant archaeological value. “They contain literary topics and magical themes,” he said. “We will study and classify them to unlock the mysteries they hold.”

Shalgham said the joint excavation project began in 2016, was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has since resumed. “Under the current government, more than fifty foreign missions are now working across Iraq to excavate, restore, and prepare sites for tourism,” he said.

Lama Yass, director general of the Museum Department, said each item undergoes thorough documentation. “The Iraqi Museum registers and documents each artifact, assigns a museum identity and catalog number, and prepares them for display or storage,” she said.

In February, the ministry announced plans for a public exhibition showcasing 27,000 artifacts recovered during the current government’s tenure. The event will feature replicas that visitors can handle while wearing gloves, offering an interactive experience meant to deepen public engagement with Iraq’s ancient heritage.

Following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, more than 15,000 items were looted from the National Museum in Baghdad, including priceless Mesopotamian artifacts. In recent years, the government has stepped up efforts to recover stolen heritage. In 2021, Iraq secured the return of roughly 17,000 looted items from the United States—marking the country’s largest-ever repatriation of antiquities. Many of those tablets date back more than 4,000 years and contain early Sumerian writing.