IRAQ DIGS RESUMED

Iraqi archaeologists have resumed excavations in southern Iraq uncovering three important ancient sites and collecting magnificent items, some of them more than 4000 years old.
The Iraq Museum has received 700 artifacts from official diggings in these sites, one of them belonging to the Sumerian civilization which flourished in southern Iraq at about 2500 BC.
Unfortunately, there is no mention of where the Sumerian sites are located and the affiliation of those who are excavating.

The news story says that 11 Iraqi excavation teams were busy digging sites in southern Iraq "and more finds are on their way to the museum." The resumption of official digging signals relative calm in these areas. Especially intresting is a Parthian site that has so far yielded "200 rare pieces".

The head of the excavation team of the Parthian site, Mohammed Abbas, said: "Most of the finds are unique. We have a silver statue of a woman, another silver piece representing a cobra, household utensils, legendary animals, incised pots and various other magnificent items."

An Islamic site yielded 119 pieces. Saleh Yousef who led the excavation there said the artifacts represented inscribed pots, glassware and beautiful beakers.
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2008-01-15%5Ckurd1.htm