Islamic State militants (ISIS) released yet another video showing how ISIS destroys artifacts once they travel into and take over parts of Iraq. Teams of militants were shown bulldozing, hammering and blowing up sections of the ancient Iraq city of Nimrud, which dates clear back to the 13th century BC. The seven minutes of footage show ISIS militants taking down the giant reliefs made of alabaster that have been there for centuries that depict the ancient kings and gods from that era, and then using hammers, saws, and explosive to destroy the priceless treasures.
ISIS Destroys Artifacts: Horrifies Archeologists, UN Members
The latest devastation where ISIS destroys priceless treasures has horrified both archeologists and members of the United Nations. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called the acts war crimes. It is not their first act of this type, as the ISIS is said to hold one-third of both Iraq and nearby Syria and has set up a self-declared caliphate. The militants say that ISIS destroys artifacts everywhere they take over because it goes against their idea of worshiping Allah and that they vow to get rid of all idols and statues and instead spread the word of monotheism wherever they travel into a new location.
ISIS Destroys Other Plundered Ancient Sites
Another ancient city that has been the victim of ISIS destroying ancient artifacts is the city of Hatra in Iraq, which was a UNESCO World Heritage site. Besides blowing up and otherwise destroying the city, officials have also reported that some of the ancient antiquities have shown up for sale on the black market. Other sites are also believed to have been looted, says the report of ISIS destroying artifacts by the media. The ISIS video showed the black flag of Isil, against a musical backdrop and showed the latest destruction of some of the ancient site of Nimrud. Another similar video was released during the destruction of the city of Hatra.
Some Assyrian Treasures Safe in Museums
Some of the ancient artifacts from the Assyrian era, which was about 3,000 years ago, remain safe, as they are currently held in some of the world’s museums. For instance, British explorer Austen Henry Layard made excavations in the area from 1845 to 1851, and several sets of lion and bull statues called the Lamassu, are in the British Museum. These colossal creations are of winged animals with human heads that weigh about 10 to 30 tons and were originally meant to protect palaces or temples. Some of the ancient city’s most noteworthy discoveries are four tombs of royal women that contained over 600 pieces of gold jewelry and precious stones.
