Look Inside a 4,500-year-old Sculpture from Iraq

Uncover the story of a copper-alloy sculpture from ancient Mesopotamia as it is CT-scanned by a team of researchers. In this collaborative research project between The Met and the Republic of Iraq, new findings are discovered about the ancient art-making technique of hollow-core lost-wax casting, an innovative breakthrough that is still used by artists today.

Recent provenance research by the Museum’s scholars established that the work rightfully belongs to the Republic of Iraq, prompting the Museum to reach out to His Excellency Nazar Al Khirullah, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the United States of America, and offer to return the work. During discussions that followed, The Met and Iraq agreed to embark on collaborative research on the sculpture, including sending it for high-powered scanning at a specialized lab in Germany. This partnership demonstrates our shared commitment to advancing the understanding of human history and creativity. The work was returned to the Republic of Iraq in a ceremony at The Met on September 30, 2025.