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Saturday, February 26, 2011

A puzzle for the ages

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception



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Ancient statues destroyed in the British bombing of Berlin in World War II have been painstakingly restored  during a nine year period - 27,000 fragments of 3,000 year old Tell Halaf treasures - had been taken from today's Syria by German collector, Max von Oppenheim. 

The royal palace of Tell Halaf was adorned with statues and carvings by Aramaic tribesmen of the first century BC.  Oppenheim, an archaeologist, diplomat and Arab world enthusiast discovered the palace remains in 1889 and obtained permission to excavate which was interrupted by the first World War.  The project was complete 30 years after the initial discovery - its treasures divided between a museum in Aleppo, Syria and Oppenheim.

Oppenheim opened a museum in 1930 that was destroyed in an air raid in 1943, the collection was believed lost with statues shattered into fragments.  Nine truckloads were taken to the basement of Berlin's archaeological Pergamon Museum where the fragments languished for 50 years.  The reunification of Berlin in the 1990s resurrected hope of the treasures' restoration.

A story of discovery and restoration tied to the vagaries of Germany's 20th century history.

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