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Iraq
Priceless stolen artifacts located !
2003-04-23
Hammurabi relic discovered

A spokman for the FBI's Cultural Heritage Recovery Team announced today the dramatic find of a major Iraqi historical relic, "We've been investigating this large, criminal art theft ring for some time now" he said, "and stumbled upon this find in a huge warehouse of stolen art very near the banks of the river Seine. Important historical pieces like this are very rare, belong to the people of the world, and should be returned to it's country of origin as soon as possible".

Dating back almost 4,000 years the huge, black, stone monolith is inscribed with an image of the Mesapotamian King, Hammurabi, and the text of his laws. Considered to be one of the very first examples of a written system of justice, Hammurabi's 'Code' is considered priceless by many historians.

Working closely with French officials, the FBI hopes for a speedy return of this cultural treasure to it's proper homeland.

French President, Jacques Chirac, could not be reached for comment.

http://www.duhaime.org/Law_museum/hamm1.htm
Posted by:Showme

#7  This is indeed at the Louvre. The post is satire. And good satire at that!
Posted by: Denny   2003-04-23 13:01:34  

#6  Has anyone checked George Galloway's flat yet?
Posted by: Raj   2003-04-23 09:27:28  

#5  TGA - you sure for that particular piece - I was at the Univ of Pennsylvania Archaeology museum a few weeks ago, and in addition to original pieces they had a cast-copy of the Code of Hammurabi, original at the Louvre in Paris. I assume thats what the hoax is about - but I dont know how many stelae of the Code are in the West, nor do i remember what the one I say looked like (well aside from a lot of cuneiform, of course)
Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-04-23 08:50:59  

#4  Obviously you have never been at the UN headquarter in New York. That's where that piece of art is exposed... a "gift from the Iraqi people".
Posted by: True German Ally   2003-04-23 08:36:16  

#3  Of course it's a hoax. This is obviously a pretty hilarious "Scrappleface" or "Onion"-style satire, especially with the "Jacques Chirac could not be reached for comment" line at the end. One might also point out that entire portions, including the walls, of the ancient cities of Babylon and Nineva can be seen in Berlin's Pergemon Museum. We should probably be looking into this looting case as well.
Posted by: JTE   2003-04-23 07:45:44  

#2  Heard a report some artifacts found at Chicago airport.
FBI waiting for confimation and list of inventory.
Posted by: raptor   2003-04-23 06:24:01  

#1  The above posting looks bogus. The lawyer whose website has been linked may be the victim of a sick hoax. As of this writing, it doesn't appear there's been any "find" of stolen Mesopotamian antiquities, let alone the famed Hammurabi piece. Fred, feel free to delete my comment (plus the above post, if you wish) if I am correct and this is a hoax. Otherwise, my apologies.

From WaPo:

The Disappearing Treasure of Iraq
Experts Keep Watch for Looted Artifacts

By Roger Atwood
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, April 23, 2003; Page C01

Nearly two weeks after looters rampaged through Iraq's National Museum of Antiquities, stealing thousands of artifacts dating from the dawn of civilization, art dealers and law enforcement people around the world are asking the same question.

Where's the loot?

Despite scattered rumors of artifacts turning up from Tehran to Paris, not a single one of the 90,000 or 120,000 or 170,000 plundered artifacts -- no one knows for sure how many -- is known to have been offered for sale anywhere in the world. And investigators and legitimate art dealers think they know why.

If not still stashed in Baghdad, the pieces are already trickling out of the country in trucks and suitcases, headed for a shadowy world of high-end, high-risk collectors of such loot who fancy themselves art connoisseurs and get a charge from owning forbidden objects. . .

snip
Posted by: Ninevah   2003-04-23 04:13:16  

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