Hundreds of thousands of priceless artifacts in several museums in Iraq have 
been protected from the threat of theft and looting by marking them with a 
unique invisible code, in a new security protocol that is to be made available 
around the World to protect 'at risk' museums, historic and archaeological 
sites. 

Funded by the British Council, approximately 273,000 artifacts held in two 
Iraqi museums have been protected using this new approach.  The project allows 
the priceless objects to be traced back to the site they were stolen from,  
making it easier for law enforcement agencies to prove theft, thereby creating 
a powerful deterrent to would-be thieves and traffickers.

The innovative project, led by renowned archaeologist Professor Roger Matthews 
at the University of Reading, utilizes a specially prepared SmartWater forensic 
liquid to attach a unique chemical signature onto museum objects.  The solution 
is invisible to the naked eye, only detectable under UV black light and 
scientists only need to recover a speck of SmartWater to prove which location 
the artifact was stolen from, the date the solution was applied and by whom. 

Tests by scientists at Reading University established that the forensic liquid 
causes no damage to stone, pottery, metal, or glass and can withstand intense 
heat, harsh solvents, and extreme environmental conditions for decades.  All 
the costs of R&D were funded by the SmartWater Foundation, the not for profit 
arm of The SmartWater Group, one of the World's fastest growing risk management 
companies. 

Professor Matthews said: "The items in the museum collections we worked with 
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." 

The artifacts include inorganic pieces from all periods of Iraq's past; 
stone-age axes to Neolithic pots dating back to 7000 BC when the world's first 
agricultural villages were being established. 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. 

The problem of theft of artifacts from museums, archaeological and historic 
sites is growing, with temples in India being targeted, as well as 
archaeological sites in South America. In the USA, Native American sites are at 
risk, particularly the remote burial grounds that can be an easy target for 
thieves. 

Colette Loll, Senior Advisor to the SmartWater Foundation, the not for profit 
arm of the SmartWater Group. said: 'Due to their SmartWater forensic signature, 
these important museum collections are now traceable and can be repatriated if 
stolen or trafficked. We are essentially putting the art market on 
notice—forensic markers present a real risk to sellers AND buyers of stolen 
artifacts." 

Phil Cleary, CEO of the SmartWater Group said "We're delighted that we've been 
able to support the implementation of this important initiative in Iraq, as it 
is totally aligned with our mission to reduce the risk of  theft, wherever it 
occurs." 

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1164929/SmartWater.jpg  
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1164930/SmartWater_Foundation_Logo.jpg 
 
Source:  SmartWater