The massacre of Mesopotamian archaeology

When is looting "under control"? But frankly, archeologically Iraq will soon be worthless when it comes to those archaeological sites that are known now. Several of the most impartant ancient cities are pretty much gone and our view of the history of civilization in Mesopotamia will always be poorer because of this war and it´s consequences. One example is the transition from Sumerian to Babylonian era between about 2000-1750 BC. The major cities of this time, like Isin and Larsa, are among the sites that have suffered the heaviest part of the looting.

The hope of archaeology in Iraq may lay in those places which are known to us from historical sources, but which haven´t been found yet, like Akkad, capital of the Akkadian empire, the first major semitic state in history, which first time united Mesopotamia under single rule between 2350-2200 BC.