Artifacts in several Iraq museums have been protected from the threat of theft and looting by marking them with an invisible forensic marking code. Funded by the cultural body the British Council, about 273,000 items held in Iraqi museums have been so protected. Objects if stolen can be traced back to a site, as a deterrent to would-be thieves and stolen antiques traffickers.
The items include inorganic pieces from all periods of Iraq’s past; stone-age axes to Neolithic pots dating back to 7000 BC when the first farming villages were forming. In 2003, and during the ISIS occupation of Mosul between 2014 and 2017, items like this were frequently looted from museums, later resurfacing on international antiquity markets.
SmartWater forensic liquid marks a unique chemical signature onto museum objects. The solution is invisble to the naked eye, detectable under ultraviolet (UV) black light and scientists only need to recover a speck of the liquid to prove which location an item comes from, the date the solution was applied and by whom.
Working with scientists at Reading University, SmartWater established that the forensic liquid does not damage stone, pottery, metal, or glass and can withstand intense heat, harsh solvents, and extreme conditions for decades.
Professor Matthews, at Reading, said: “The items in the museum collections are priceless, with regards to the immense cultural value they offer to Iraq. This initiative effectively gives objects a chemical fingerprint, allowing them to be traced if they fall into the wrong hands. Moreover, it provides law enforcement agencies with the necessary evidence to arrest and prosecute those found in illegal possession of artifacts.”
Phil Cleary, CEO of SmartWater, added: “The problem of theft of artifacts from museums, archaeological and historic sites is growing. We’re delighted that we’ve been able to support this important initiative in Iraq. Due to their SmartWater forensic signature, these important museum collections are now traceable and can be repatriated if stolen or trafficked. Forensic markers present a real risk to sellers AND buyers of stolen artifacts.”
All the costs of R&D were funded by the SmartWater Foundation, the not for profit arm of SmartWater.
