Site of Ancient City Trampled by US Military Base

Establishing a military base on the site of the ancient city of Babylon called a "reckless act of cultural vandalism."

1 minute read

March 25, 2005, 2:00 PM PST

"When Camp Babylon was established by US-led international forces in April 2003, leading archeologists and international experts on ancient civilizations warned of potential peril and damage. It was "tantamount to establishing a military camp around the Great Pyramid in Egypt or around Stonehenge in Britain," according to a damning report issued in January by the British Museum...Helicopter landing places and parking lots for heavy vehicles caused substantial damage to the Ishtar Gate, one of the most famous monuments from antiquity. US military vehicles crushed 2,600 year old brick pavement, archeological fragments were scattered across the site, trenches were driven into ancient deposits and military earth-moving projects contaminated the site for future generations of scientists."

Thanks to Michael Dudley

Read the full story: Cultural Barbarism

Friday, March 25, 2005 in The Nation

History / Preservation United States

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