Project Created to Restore Ancient Babylon

1-7-09
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/project-created-to-restore-ancient-babylon/

After years of neglect, misuse and haphazard reconstruction of the ancient city of Babylon, a master plan is being developed for the restoration of the Mesopotamian site, in present-day Iraq. The project, called “The Future of Babylon,” was announced in a news release by the World Monuments Fund, which will collaborate with Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage. Babylon endured numerous restoration and reconstruction projects during the reign of Saddam Hussein; it was heavily plundered after his fall, and used as the site of an American military base. The “Future of Babylon” project, financed by a $700,000 grant from the State Department, will map the city’s archeological sites, develop conservation plans and pursue possibilities for tourism and education.