A Sumerian masterpiece
The Warka Vase is an archaeological masterpiece that is more than 5,000 years old. It is a vase engraved from alabaster stone that was found in a complex of temples dating back to the Sumerian goddess Iniana in the ruins of the ancient city of Ur located in southern Iraq. It is considered one of the oldest archaeological works of art that have been found. Its history was estimated to date back to the time period between 3200-3000 BC.
The Warka vase was one of thousands of artifacts that were stolen from the Iraq Museum during the looting and theft that occurred after the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It was forcefully pulled from the display case to which it was attached underneath, causing the vase to shatter.
The vase was returned to the Iraqi Museum in the same year during the period of amnesty for thieves by the Iraqi government, when it was returned to the museum by three young men aged twenty years.
Source: websites