Ancient Assyrian sculpture up for sale at Christie’s – but should it ever have left Iraq?
A 3000-year-old Iraqi artefact goes on sale at Christie’s auction house in New York this week, where it is expected to fetch more than $10m for its American owners. However, the Iraqi government has demanded a halt to the sale of the two-metre frieze taken from an ancient Assyrian palace. The case is the latest […]Rob Crilly and Mina Aldroubi write for The National:
A 3000-year-old Iraqi artefact goes on sale at Christie’s auction house in New York this week, where it is expected to fetch more than $10m for its American owners. However, the Iraqi government has demanded a halt to the sale of the two-metre frieze taken from an ancient Assyrian palace.
The case is the latest controversy to hit the American antiquities market. Dealers, auctioneers and museums have all had items confiscated.
