Buddhas of Bamiyan

Japanese researchers have crafted a "super clone" of an Afghan mural destroyed by the Taliban, using a mix of traditional and digital techniques that they hope will salvage the work's "spirit" for future generations.

Five Nobel prize winners, including Turkey's laureate Orhan Pamuk, called on Dec. 1 for urgent international action to protect world heritage sites from the destruction wrought by extremist groups and conflicts.

Iraq's national museum officially reopened Saturday after 12 years of painstaking efforts during which close to a third of 15,000 pieces looted during the US-led invasion were recovered.
      
The reopening was brought forward in what officials said was a response to the destruction of priceless artefacts by Islamic State group jihadists in the northern city of Mosul.

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants armed with sledgehammers and jackhammers have destroyed priceless ancient artefacts in Iraq's city of Mosul, a video released by the jihadists on Feb. 26 shows.