In search of a future flash point for conflicts over plundered artifacts? Search no further than Iraq's National Museum. In the days after the fall of Saddam Hussein, more than 15,000 artifacts were taken from the museum's collection, including many ancient examples of Mesopotamian jewelry and ceramics.
Current Status: The museum reopened in late February, but Iraqi officials were only able to secure just 6,000 of the missing items, which are now housed in their own special wing in the museum. Arrests — and recoveries — continue as authorities try to prevent Iraq's prized cultural treasures from being traded on the open market.