The United Nations heritage agency said on Monday that it will start the reconstruction of Mosul’s Syriac Catholic Al Tahera Church destroyed by ISIS, which was known to be a symbol of the city’s rich diversity. The church was severely damaged by the insurgents during the battle for the northern …
Read More »‘Artefact detectives’ in Iraq aim to end the theft of their history
A group of amateur ‘artifact detectives’ in Iraq are on a mission to return countless historical items taken from their country over the years. Leading the charge is Wafaa Hassan, a recovery specialist at the National Museum of Iraq, with her team of archaeologists and lawyers. Together, they scour online …
Read More »Gunmen Attack Tourist Guides in Jordan’s Petra.
According to Ammon news agency, an unidentified gunman opened fire on a tour bus in the vicinity of Petra, an archaeological site in Jordan; no injuries have been reported. “Unknown people opened fire on Saturday on a bus carrying tourist guides from the Wadi Musa region to Petra. There were …
Read More »UNESCO lists Iraq’s Babylon as a World Heritage Site.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee voted on Friday to list the sprawling Mesopotamian metropolis of Babylon as a World Heritage Site after three decades of efforts by Iraq. Iraq had been trying since 1983 to have the site — a massive 10-square-kilometer complex of which just 18 percent has been excavated …
Read More »Ancient tower collapses in Afghanistan, other cultural sites remain at risk.
An ancient tower dating back 2,000 years in the historic Afghan city of Ghazni collapsed this week, local officials said, raising concerns about the vulnerability of the country’s cultural heritage and the government’s ability to protect them. The old citadel is known as Ghaznain Fort originally had 36 towers, but …
Read More »See the Church that built from 40,000 human skeletons.
In the heart of the Czech countryside, Kutná Hora houses some of the most beautiful architecture in the whole of Bohemia. Positioned around 70 kilometers (about 43 miles) east of Prague, this medieval city competed politically, economically and culturally with the capital city during the 13th to 16th centuries, thanks …
Read More »Egypt protests auction of ‘stolen’ Tutankhamun statue.
Egypt is attempting to halt the sale of an ancient statue at Christie’s auction house in London over concerns that it may have been stolen. The 11-inch statue with features reminiscent of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun is set to lead a London auction on July 4, according to Christie’s. Egypt’s Ministry …
Read More »New Australian 50 cent coin features 14 indigenous languages.
Australia has issued a new 50 cent coin celebrating some of the country’s indigenous languages, many of which are at risk of extinction. The new design incorporates 14 translations of the word “coin” from languages native to the Australian continent, developed in collaboration by the Royal Australian Mint and the …
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