October 2019 Iraqi Institute students learning methods for safely lifting damaged stone sculptures for conservation. The heritage of ancient Mesopotamia, city of Babylon, 19th-century Ottoman old Assyrian ruins that stood just outside the “cradle of Western civilization,” is homes, and historic souks document the ISIS-occupied Mosul. The demolition vitally important to the people of Iraq. complex web of faiths, empires and trade came amidst a wave of ISIS vandalism Iconic sites throughout the country, that have shaped Iraq. against ancient sites in northern Iraq. including the famed temples of Babylon, In recent times, this history has Even before the ISIS campaign the ziggurat at Ur, and the palace at suffered greatly. On April 11, 2015, the to destroy cultural heritage, historical Nimrud, capital of the Assyrian empire, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sites suffered from decades of neglect, chronicle early human history and the released a video of the ancient city of violence, and instability that have further roots of western civilizations. Religious Nimrud erupting in a colossal cloud of compromised conservation efforts. In one and secular structures such as the spiral dust. After attacking ancient sculptures of the most notorious examples, looters minaret at Samarra, the Yazidi temple with sledgehammers and power tools, the took thousands of objects from the Iraq at Lalesh, the Erbil citadel, the ancient terrorist group detonated the 3,000-year- National Museum in the early days of the 1 U.S. invasion of Baghdad in 2003. community’s sense of identity and Delaware, the Smithsonian Institution, These besieged Iraqi sites and cohesion as well as destroy livelihoods. and other organizations to create the artifacts represent world heritage, but Iraqis are committed to preserving Iraqi Institute for the Conservation they also hold inestimable value for this amazing heritage; losses from of Antiquities and Heritage (IICAH). local communities. Cultural heritage looting of the National Museum and The Iraqi Institute seeks to address is an important economic driver, and ISIS destruction would have been these problems by educating Iraqis in these sites are vital to local economies. far worse had Iraqis not, at great conservation and preservation, and by Heritage sites beautify cities, spur personal risk, removed and hidden inviting professionals from around the infrastructure development, attract many valuable artifacts. Iraq remains world to share their expertise in courses visitors, create jobs, and raise incomes an extraordinarily rich cultural and taught at the Institute (Figure 1). for communities. A shared cultural historic repository with important IICAH’s mission is to help rebuild heritage and the commitment to museums, historic structures and Iraq’s cultural heritage sector by preserve it can also serve as a powerful thousands of undiscovered and providing Iraq’s museum and heritage unifying force for disparate groups. A unexplored sites. Since 2008, they professionals with in-country training blow to heritage can shake an entire have partnered with the University of in the preservation and conservation Figure 1: A relief at the site of Nimrud damaged and abandoned by ISIS. 2 October 2019 of their cultural heritage. Students and other faiths, all drawn together by a need to continue to advance their own are drawn from the active ranks of shared passion for the preservation of one knowledge and rebuild their country.” the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities of the world’s oldest civilizations. and Heritage (SBAH), the General At the Institute, participants Professional Training Directorate of Antiquities under the spend up to six months learning Kurdistan Regional Government the foundations of cultural heritage Preserving heritage is a complex job (KRG), provincial antiquities protection. The teachers provide a that requires a varied toolbox that can departments, and university faculty range of instruction to help students be applied to a wide variety of materials, and staff. IICAH students are already develop the tools they need to manage so students receive instruction relevant working in positions where they can and preserve Iraq’s heritage. Many to historic and archaeological objects, apply their newly acquired training participants have used their new historic architecture, and archaeological and access to international networks. skills to advance their careers, and sites. During an introductory course The Institute, located in Erbil, the Institute alumni now support research entitled “Fundamentals of Heritage capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, expeditions in the region led by Conservation,” participants learn is a well-equipped modern educational archaeologists from such institutions everything from international standards facility offering programs reflecting as the University of Chicago, Johns for conservation and basic material international standards (Figure 2). Hopkins University, and Harvard science, to preventive conservation, and Courses are taught by international University. As Jessica S. Johnson, Head photographic documentation techniques. experts and Iraqi teaching assistants using of Conservation at the Smithsonian’s The courses prepare participants local resources and materials. IICAH Museum Conservation Institute to identify, document, and stabilize participants include men and women (MCI) and a program facilitator at the vulnerable heritage—the essential skills from across Iraq: Arabs and Kurds, Institute, describes it: “We’re working to conserve sites for future generations. Sunni and Shia, Christians, Muslims, to give Iraqis the building blocks they Subsequent courses deal with more Figure 2. The Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage (IICAH). 3 specialized topics such as conservation of professional conservation network within locally relevant solutions in their archaeological ceramics, advanced GPS Iraq. Iraqi conservators are the local classes. “We actually train with the training for documenting archaeological experts on their own past, and by offering Iraqis on site with the equipment sites, and stabilization techniques for the latest tools, the IICAH programs they’re going to be using,” says Jessica historic structures. enhance their ability to react to crises. S. Johnson. By collaborating directly The ultimate goal is to support a The instructors work to provide with the people who will ensure the preservation of Iraq’s heritage, and by visiting local sites to understand the challenges facing conservation, the instructors are able to identify the tools their students need most (Figure 3). Some participants have used skills from IICAH programs to advance their careers. Nihayet, who works at a local museum in Erbil, became a Master Trainer (teaching assistant) at the Institute in 2010, supporting the instructors and sometimes running courses on her own (Figure 4). Now, she’s using her experience to train conservators at her museum and has set up a conservation department to serve the entire Erbil province. “My experiences at the Institute help me to teach others how to keep the artifacts safe in the museum and to advise Iraqi archaeologists on the safest way to lift fragile artifacts they find during excavations.” The dedication of the participants is impressive. Everyone who attends a program at the Institute sacrifices to be there—traveling to an unfamiliar environment or spending time away from work and family. As entry and mid-career professionals, many students have a spouse and children, and must arrange support for their families while they are away from their jobs. Since participants come from every part of Iraq, many must travel hundreds of miles from their homes to Erbil, even through risky situations. The participants insist on making the most of every minute. When ISIS came within half an hour of Erbil in 2014, Figure 3. IICAH students visit the 12th century Choli Minaret in Erbil. Dr. Katharyn Hanson (International 4 October 2019 Cultural Heritage Researcher, MCI) programs. The Institute, a modern heritage sector took place over several tried to cancel her class so participants educational facility, is in the heart of decades of war and neglect. Prior could call their families, but they insisted Erbil, the largest city in the Kurdistan to 1980, Iraq boasted a robust and on staying. “It was like a little mutiny in Region of Iraq and home to the ancient internationally recognized cultural the classroom—you told us we’d learn 8,000-year-old Erbil citadel, one of Iraq’s heritage sector staffed by career about GPS units, we want to learn about five World Heritage Sites (Figure 7). professionals with advanced degrees GPS units,” Katharyn recalls. “That The degradation of Iraq’s cultural and decades of experience in museum sums up the whole level of dedication— with ISIS only 30 minutes away, they wanted me to teach (Figure 5).” Now that Iraqi forces have pushed ISIS out of Mosul and many important heritage sites, planning and training for the rescue of these sites has begun. In April 2017 the Smithsonian inaugurated the Nimrud Rescue Project with funding from the U.S. State Department and private donors to document and stabilize the recently freed ancient city. A storage building and support facilities have been constructed, and a cadre of Iraqis, trained at IICAH with the support of the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture and Design, has begun the long task of systematically mapping the damage, Figure 4. Nihayet discusses way to accurately