4,500-year-old Mesopotamian artifact returned to Iraq
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The Iraqi Embassy in Washington on Tuesday marked the return of the "Wild Ox" statue, one of the oldest surviving examples of Mesopotamian metalwork.
In a statement, the embassy described the repatriation as both a cultural milestone and a reaffirmation of Iraq’s place as the cradle of human civilization, emphasizing that “this rare artifact reflects the ingenuity of our ancient civilization in metal arts more than 4,500 years ago.”
Todaywe celebrated the recovery of the Ibex Statue to Iraq an event that is not only cultural,but also a reaffirmation of our natural place as the cradle of human civilization.This rare piece reflects the genius ofour ancient civilization in metal artistry more than4,500years ago pic.twitter.com/488bgzKky4
— سفارة العراق – واشنطن| Iraqi Embassy in Washington (@IraqinUSA) September 30, 2025
Crafted using the lost-wax technique and representing some of Mesopotamia’s earliest metalwork, the statue was recovered through a coordinated effort by Iraq’s Ministry of Culture, the Iraqi Embassy in Washington, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“Everyone worked diligently with US institutions to achieve this accomplishment, which restores Iraq’s heritage and presents it to the world,” the statement concluded.
