Newsletter No. 15
Winter 2016
The governorate began to build a large public library in the city centre in 2014, but it was destroyed after Daesh’s invasion.
Fourthly: The 2003 shelling of the City Museum of Civilisation The Tikrit City Museum of Civilisation – inaugurated in 2002 - was subjected to shelling, blasting and demolition, after which it was totally obliterated without trace, upon entry of the American occupation of Iraq in 2003. No visible traces remain. Fifthly: Heritage, artefacts and civilisational landmarks under threat Researchers confirm that the most ancient of human settlements to be discovered by archeologists and field workers is the Iraqi settlement of Tell al-Sawan (5500 – 5000 BC), which is situated 12 km south of Samarra, within the administrative borders of Tikrit city.
Baiji district (Ibn Nadim) library prior to the invasion
The district libraries are no less important than the central library, amongst which are the libraries of Shirqat and al-Daur districts. The most prominent of these is the Baiji district library (known as the Ibn al-Nadim Library) which was established in 1955 and contained 400 books. It contained the rarest of publications, some of which date back to the late 19th Century. It was a resource centre for local students of higher education. As the years went by, the library was further provided with diverse scientific books until it grew to house 10,000 books of the highest caliber. After the invasion of Daesh in 2014, the library was threatened, looted, then totally burnt.
1) Tikrit Citadel: The citadel was built on a remote cliff in a position fortified by the river’s water flow; and was surrounded by a fence. Its foundations remained stable until the late sixties of the last century, when they were subjected to demolition and removal. This site has been of continued strategic military significance in Iraq from Akkadia, Assyrian and Babylonian times, through to reigns, such as the Roman and Sasanian Empires, which influenced Iraq. Small sections of the citadel’s wall and towers remain, situated on an ancient and elevated hill top of great height overlooking the Tigris River. 2) The demolition of the Green Church: Archaeological evidence indicates that the city’s first emergence can be traced to religious factors, based on cuneiforms which mention supplications/prayers traceable to the 16th Century BC, in documentation discovered in both Sbar and Warqaʾa. The city continued to be a civilisational settlement and a religious centre – from the most ancient of times right up to the present day. It was the home of the nomadic Aramaic tribe Ituʾa. Then it was populated by Arab tribes who had earlier converted to Christianity, during its emergence at the time of Nestorian missionaries – until the Islamic conquest, when it was under Roman rule. It was then liberated and Islam began to spread from 16 AH / 637 AD. Despite the above, Tikrit remained one of the important centers of Christianity until 1164 AD, when its position in this regard was challenged by the city of Mosul, whence
Baiji district (Ibn Nadim) library following Daesh attacks
Baiji district (Ibn Nadim) library following Daesh attacks
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