UC Berkeley proposes Iraqi heritage website

The University of California at Berkeley is trying to raise $5m (£3m) for a project which would chronicle the war-torn country's museums and archaeological digs. The results would be put on a website which would offer photographs, text, and real-time details such as the humidity or earthquake activity at research sites.

Many historical sites were looted after US-led forces gained control of Baghdad in April, and the museum plans to place sensors at key locations to alert the network to any attempted thefts.

As well intentioned as such plans may be, more might be accomplished by putting some of that $5M into paying site guards, who at last report could not even afford the ammunition needed to repel gangs of armed looters. BBC.

Posted by David on June 4, 2003 9:31 AM