I spent most of this past weekend reading the book that I mentioned in my last blog entry. The book is called "Stealing History" Tomb Raiders, Smugglers, and the Looting of The Ancient World, by author Roger Atwood, and its content is very disturbing to those that value history.

I had been aware of the looting that had occurred of Iraq's National Museum in Baghdad, when the US, and Britain invaded, but I was not so keenly aware prior to reading this book as to how much has been lost to the world by the systematic destruction of sites of great archaeological importance by "tomb raiders."

My opinion is that these precious antiquities must be housed in a public museum where they are available to all, yet properly cared for, and maintained for generations to come. More importantly they should only end up in a museum's collection after the site from where they originate has been properly investigated, and documented by a qualified archaeological team.

I do not place blame for the loss of these sites on the looters themselves who are most likely attempting to feed their families in a war zone, but on those rich, private collectors who have created the demand for these ancient world artefacts.

These items are now meaningless as we have lost the opportunity to study the history behind them. They are a trinket to their buyer, and nothing more. And that is wholly depressing to anyone who cares about history.

Another reason to hate these wars.......