Iraq returns ancient artifacts from Japan and Switzerland, including statue of sun god and 8th-century murals

BAGHDAD — Speaking from the National Museum in Baghdad, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced the return of ancient artifacts to the Baghdad Museum from Japan and Switzerland. The recovered items include the statue of the sun god, Maran Shamash, rare murals from the 8th century BC linked to ancient Syriac-Assyrian civilization, and textured paintings from the ancient Al-Tar Caves.

Hussein revealed that the textured paintings had been loaned to a Japanese archaeological mission operating in Iraq during the 1970s.

The artifacts, which trace their origins to Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) and the Syriac-Assyrian civilization, were repatriated through Iraq’s embassies in Tokyo and Bern.

Decades of conflict and instability in Iraq have led to widespread looting of antiquities. The Iraqi government continues its efforts to restore the nation’s stolen heritage, with this latest recovery marking a significant step in preserving its cultural legacy.

فيديو : نائب رئيس مجلس الوزراء ووزير الخارجية يسلّم وزير الثقافة قطعاً أثرية نادرة مستعادة من اليابان وسويسرا pic.twitter.com/tU2uIY8Oyx

— وزارة الخارجية العراقية (@Iraqimofa) February 11, 2025