Re: [MMM] Digest Number 1014

Hi Jon,

Thanks for your kind comments regarding "Lyre" and my site.

That's strange regarding Firefox's handling of the url. I actually
use firefox myself (under Linux), and it works without the slash for
me, although it adds one. (In the future I will include such
concluding slashes, nevertheless.)

Carl

PS: I'm not sure what you mean about my head keeping up with my heart,
but do let me know your findings! The fiddling recordings so far are
duos. I hope to eventually add some solos recordings.

On Wed, Oct 20, 2004 at 07:38:36PM -0000, MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> Message: 5
> Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 15:01:52 -0700
> From: "Jonathan M. Szanto" <JSZANTO@...>
> Subject: Re: The Lyre of Ur
>
> Carl,
>
> {you wrote...}
> >I have put a new piece online called "The Lyre of Ur":
>
> Lovely piece, quite evocative. I might require repeated listenings to catch
> more of the inherent structure that you speak about, but fortunately the
> piece would not be a burden to listen to!
>
> I also want to comment on the clean and elegant nature of your site at
> large - very well done. In particular, apropos recent discussions on MMM, I
> appreciate the multiple file formats you offer, as well as the clear manner
> in which you present them; a good example is on the full lyre page:
>
> http://www.mctague.org/carl/music/computer/pieces/lyre/
>
> (FireFox seemed to want that concluding forward slash...)
>
> Bravo - now I'm going to go back and check out some of your fiddling, and
> see if your head can keep up with your heart!! :)
>
> Cheers,
> Jon

Hi Prent,

Thanks.

My understanding is that most of the artifacts reported missing from
the museum had in fact been safeguarded by the Iraqi curators months,
and in some cases years, ahead of the war. It took considerable time
for the Col. Bogdanos's team to develop enough trust with the curators
for them to disclose the artifacts' hidden location. The US military
has decided that these holdings will remain in their hiding places
until the security situation improves.

But many artifacts were in fact stolen---some by what appear to have
been professionals with insider information, and others by improvising
amateurs. Most badly hit was the museum's collection of signature
seals. Many of the artifacts have been recovered both through
road-stops and seizures, but many more have been recovered through a
no-questions-asked amnesty program. Incidentally, many stolen
artifacts have been seized from Ahmed Chalabi, once favored by the US
Defence Department (but never by the State Dept) as the future leader
of Iraq.

In any case, many artifacts are still missing from the museum, and
many more have been plundered from unexcavated sites, a topic which I
have not even addressed here. The FBI and international police
organization Interpol maintain web-sites dedicated to the recovery of
missing artifacts, where you can determine the current status of
specific artifacts:

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/arttheft/asia/iraq/iraqart.htm
http://www.interpol.int/Public/WorkOfArt/Iraq/Items.asp

Let me add the caveat that all of the above information comes from the
top of my head, and that I have not had a chance to follow the events
for a few months; so there may be small factual errors and entirely
missing recent developments. More detailed and authoritative
information is available from Col. Bogdanos's pentagon briefing:

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=September&x=20030910181723namfuaks0.6611139&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html

I believe several journalists are following this issue closely
(including one I recall having been kidnaped), so more detailed
information is almost certainly forthcoming.

In summary, although the number of artifacts reportedly stolen from
the museum were initially inflated, the artifacts stolen both from the
museum, and especially from unexcavated sites should absolutely not be
shrugged off. The US Government failed to adequately plan to
safeguard these treasures. In fact, were it not for the museum's
curators, the large numbers of reportedly stolen artifacts would have
been accurate.

Carl

> Message: 7
> Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004 14:45:28 -0000
> From: "Prent Rodgers" <prentrodgers@...>
> Subject: Re: The Lyre of Ur
>
>
> Carl,
> I enjoyed the War Piece most, but all three are terrific pieces with a
> very professional sound and movement. I also enjoyed the story.
>
> Back in 2003 or so, I followed the story of the Lyre, but not with the
> kind of detail and color that you provided. I always enjoy a good
> story with my music. Didn't they find amost all of the 170,000 "lost"
> artifacts soon after they were "reported" lost? That is my
> recollection, but I could be wrong.
>
> Prent Rodgers
>
> --- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, Carl McTague
> <box-0cccbec56b@s...> wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I have put a new piece online called "The Lyre of Ur":
> >
> > http://www.mctague.org/carl/music/computer/pieces/lyre

>My understanding is that most of the artifacts reported missing from
>the museum had in fact been safeguarded by the Iraqi curators months,
>and in some cases years, ahead of the war. It took considerable time
>for the Col. Bogdanos's team to develop enough trust with the curators
>for them to disclose the artifacts' hidden location. The US military
>has decided that these holdings will remain in their hiding places
>until the security situation improves.
//

Thanks, Carl, for the very informative post on this troubling
situation.

-Carl