Reception and use of heritage in Iraq after 2003: A view from the (archaeological) field

The article presents an overview of the evolution of the use of ancient Mesopotamian heritage in connection with the events following the downfall of Saddam Hussein (Saddām Ḥusayn)’s regime up to the recent events. The information reported is part of a larger ongoing research on the reception of Mesopotamian archaeological heritage in contemporary Iraqi society and beyond. The focus is devoted to the use of ancient iconography in Iraqi contemporary art while taking in consideration other aspects of the Iraqi archaeological record used and elaborated by Iraqi artists. The presence of symbols reused in different contexts and with different meanings (e.g. the head of Sargon of Akkad, the Hammurabi Stele, the Assyrian Lions hunt) show how deeply the ancient Mesopotamian heritage is rooted in the Iraqi people and artists.