Ancient Tablet Acquired by Hobby Lobby Going Back to Iraq

The cuneiform clay tablet was found in 1853 as part of a 12-tablet collection in the rubble of the library of Assyrian King Assur Banipal.

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This undated image provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s office of public affairs shows a 3,500-year-old artifact, known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet. The tablet contains a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh, considered one of the earliest surviving works of notable literature. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP)
Image via AP Photo/Uncredited

This article was republished here with permission from The Associated Press, however it is no longer available to read on Snopes.com.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A 3,500-year-old clay tablet discovered in the ruins of the library of an ancient Mesopotamian king, then looted from an Iraqi museum 30 years ago, is finally headed back to Iraq. The $1.7 million cuneiform clay tablet was found in 1853 as part of a 12-tablet collection in the rubble of the library of Assyrian King Assur Banipal. Officials believe it was illegally imported into the United States in 2003, then sold…

Read at AP News