UK returns to Iraq a rare Assyrian relief stolen from Nimrud

The United Kingdom has returned toIraq a rare Assyrian relief, dating to the period between 883 and 859 B.C., which was originally part of the Northwest Palace at Nimrud and had been stolen from the ancient city. The artifact depicts the upper part of a winged genie and was recovered as part of the Diplomacy of Retrieval initiative, aimed at recovering stolen cultural property.

The official ceremony for the handover of the panel, which weighs 333 kilograms and measures 1.16 meters wide by 1.13 meters long, was held two weeks ago at the Iraqi Embassy in London, in the presence of important institutional representatives. In attendance were members of the Metropolitan Police Art & Antiquity Unit of the British Museum, the British Institute for the Study of Iraq, the Nahrain Network, and the lawyer who facilitated the restitution process.

At the event, Iraqi Ambassador Mohammed Jaafar Al-Sadr stressed the historical and cultural importance of the relief, whose value has increased since the destruction of the Nimrud Palace by ISIS. Al-Sadr thanked the British authorities and institutions involved for their support, highlighting the close cooperation between the Iraqi Embassy and the Metropolitan Police.

The ambassador then appealed for all those holding illegally exported Iraqi artifacts to return them to the country, considered the cradle of civilizations in the Mesopotamian valley. Numerous diplomats and members of the Iraqi embassy attended the ceremony, signaling the importance of this achievement in the context of safeguarding cultural heritage.

UK returns to Iraq a rare Assyrian relief stolen from Nimrud

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