Yesterday’s 5th anniversary of the looting of Iraq’s National Museum is a stark reminder that the casualties of war are not limited to human life. The museum is home to some of the world’s oldest artifacts, and many of them are now gone—pillaged by would-be treasure and quick profit seekers.

Some 15,000 artifacts were removed in just a few short days after Baghdad’s fall. The museum was broken into, safes opened, priceless pieces stolen and the building itself badly damaged. Easily the largest museum theft ever.

Fortunately, several thousand artifacts have at least been returned or recovered. According to a new book released by the by the University of Chicago’s Cultural Policy Center entitled "Antiquities Under Siege: Cultural Heritage Protection After the Iraq War," of the estimated 15,000 artifacts taken:

• About 5,000 are still missing,
• 4,000 were returned and
• 6,000 were recovered

One of the many notable artifacts still missing, "Lioness Attacking a Nubian Boy,” an 8th century B.C. Assyrian ivory carving of a lioness attacking a Nubian boy, overlaid with gold and inlaid with lapis lazuli. Although it is impossible to put a dollar number to such a priceless piece, one value thrown was at least $100 million (US).

While so many historical artifacts have not been returned, those that have or have been recovered are now being preserved. The museum itself is also going through renovation. Yet, with the amount of work and ongoing concerns with security, the museum is not expected to open for some time.

For an interesting look into the museum, some of the artifacts and additional information regarding the looting and recovery, watch the AFP embedded video, Iraq’s National Museum Makeover.