1)UNESCO Worried War Could Damage Iraqi 2）Archeological Sit

Broadcast: Mar¹ 29,2003

 

 

As U.S. and British forces advance toward Baghdad, television pictures show a land that seems to offer nothing but desert. But for officials of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, nothing could be further from the truth. The land of Iraq, they say, has long been considered a crossroad of ancient civilizations.

For most people, especially now, when Iraq is mentioned the name Saddam Hussein immediately comes to mind. But for Mounir Bouchenaki, the assistant director general for culture of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Iraq ³⁾conjures up many more images. It is the Fertile Crescent, the land of Babylon, the biblical Garden of Eden and of Ur, birthplace of the prophet Abraham.

Mr. Bouchenaki is following the war developments closely. So far, he says, three museums have been damaged by bombs, including one in the northern city of Mosul, which experts say has irreplaceable ^4）artifacts. He is also concerned about fighting around the southern city of Basra. "We know that, for example, that Basra has an old quarter which has very valuable buildings of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries," said Mounir Bouchenaki. "And also some old churches in Basra. And of course we are worried that if there are battles in Basra, we hope they will not be in the museum of Basra and this old quarter."

Archeological damage and wartime looting took place during the last Gulf³ war in 1991, not to mention in Afghanistan, last year. Both countries are centuries-old hubs of trade and war.

But Mr. Bouchenaki says Iraq houses a larger, richer slice of cultural history. Indeed, he says, only a small percentage of the country's archeological sites have been excavated⁴. "In Iraq, when you are traveling in the countryside and you see just a small elevation⁵ of earth, it's 100 percent sure you have an archeological site below," he said. "So the experts evaluate that in Iraq we have about 10,000 sites. Among them, only 100 have been ⁵⁾excavated."

Top archeologists and collectors have urged the U.S. government to avoid damaging archeological sites during the military campaign, and have provided U.S. officials with the locations of more than 4,000 sites.

UNESCO has also sent a map of sites to Washington, along with a list of key museums. Mr. Bouchenaki says he has been told that U.S. and allied⁶ forces are instructed not to hit the locations.

Mr. Bouchenaki also credits the Iraqi government with protecting the sites from damage and pillaging⁷ over the years. Museum officials in Baghdad began packing some artifacts weeks before the war began. After the war, experts will plan how to preserve the country's priceless heritage, which Mr. Bouchenaki says belongs not only to Iraqis, but also to the world community.

Lisa Bryant VOA news, Paris.

 

 

1)    UNESCO联合国科教文组织

2)    Archeological [B:kI5RlEdVIkEl] adj.考古学的

3)    conjure² up乞求，回忆，召唤

4)    artifacts [5B:tifAkts] n.史前古器物

5)    excavate[5ekskEveit]v.挖掘, 开凿, 挖出

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 conjure   

v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法

参考例句：

• I conjure you not to betray me.我恳求你不要背弃我。
• I can't simply conjure up the money out of thin air.我是不能像变魔术似的把钱变来。

3 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

4 excavated   

v.挖掘( excavate的过去式和过去分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘

参考例句：

• The site has been excavated by archaeologists. 这个遗址已被考古学家发掘出来。
• The archaeologists excavated an ancient fortress. 考古学家们发掘出一个古堡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

6 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

7 pillaging   

v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The rebels went looting and pillaging. 叛乱者趁火打劫，掠夺财物。
• Soldiers went on a rampage, pillaging stores and shooting. 士兵们横冲直撞，洗劫商店并且开枪射击。 来自辞典例句