Iraq opens new antiquities museum in Basra
Iraq opened a new antiquities museum in the southern city of Basra on Tuesday with pottery, coins and other artifacts dating back more than 2,000 years. Only one hall was opened due to a shortage of funds, Qahtan al-Obaid, the museum director, told The Associated Press by telephone. It will showcase artifacts dating back to […]Sinan Salaheddin writes for AP:
Iraq opened a new antiquities museum in the southern city of Basra on Tuesday with pottery, coins and other artifacts dating back more than 2,000 years.
Only one hall was opened due to a shortage of funds, Qahtan al-Obaid, the museum director, told The Associated Press by telephone. It will showcase artifacts dating back to 400 B.C. that tell the history of the oil-rich city on the Persian Gulf.
He said there are plans to open other wings that would exhibit Babylonian, Assyrian and Sumerian artifacts from across Iraq dating back to 3,300 B.C. Iraq is currently in the grip of an economic crisis linked to the plunge in global oil prices and the war against the Islamic State group.
