Obituary

Donny George Youkhanna (1950 - March 11, 2011) was visiting Professor of Anthropology and Asian Studies at Stony Brook University. He was also Director General of Baghdad's National Museum, Chairman of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, and the President of the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage. He excavated at the Bekhma Dam area, Nineveh, and Um Al-Agareb. He was involved with restoration projects in Babylon, Nimrud, Nineveh, Ur and Baghdad. Dr George, as he preferred to be known, was instrumental in saving antiquities in the Iraq Museum. Days after the allied invasion of Iraq he tried to stop the looting of the museum, but he was unable to secure American involvement. However, one way or another, he assisted in the recovery of about half of the 15,000 artefacts looted from the museum. Due to threats, he had to flee his native country. He died on 11 March 2011 of a heart attack while he was travelling via Toronto Pearson International Airport.

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