Iraq's Greatest Art Treasure

The international tour of Iraq’s greatest art treasure, the Nimrud gold, should begin in Washington, DC, next February. There are likely to be around ten venues, after Washington, and these will probably include museums in Berlin, London and Paris. The tour of “The Gold of Nimrud” should raise around $10m for Iraq’s National Museum. The centrepiece of the show will be an accurate full-size reconstruction of the throne room of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II at Nimrud. The site was discovered by Sir Austin Layard in 1848. British Museum archaeologist Max Mallowan (husband of Agatha Christie) excavated the throne room in 1950, but failed to locate the tombs of the queens. In 1991 Iraqi archaeologist Muzahim Mahmu found the tombs, with the thousands of pieces of gold. The treasure was then stored in the vaults of the national bank. Those who have seen it compare it with that of Tutankhamun. For the full story - click the title Irish Art