RIYADH, 13 June — Deputy Minister of Antiquities and Museums Dr. Sa’ad Al-Rashid said yesterday that his department will initiate measures to get thousands of artifacts in government museums insured.
Dr. Al-Rashid was speaking to Arab News in the wake of the destruction of almost all the priceless objects at Abdul Rauf Khalil Museum in Jeddah in a fire there last Monday.
This, the deputy minister said, had brought to the fore the need to insure antiquities.
“I feel sad over the loss of Abdul Rauf Khalil’s priceless collection,” Dr. Al-Rashid said.
According to Dr. Majeed Khan, adviser to the deputy minister, the fire in the Jeddah museum was caused by a short circuit.
However, a source close to the investigation in Jeddah has told Arab News that it will be at least two more days before they can establish the cause.
“It is unfortunate that none of these antiquities, whether in the government or private museums, have been insured. This question will have to be addressed with a sense of urgency,” Dr. Khan said.
He said there are at least 4,000 artifacts on display in the national museum at King Abdul Aziz Historical Center, “while thousands of other objects are lying in the store rooms.”
Dr. Khan said the Jeddah fire “was a tragic blow” to the collection of Abdul Rauf Khalil, who had brought together the artifacts from across the Kingdom and around the world.
“It is a loss of priceless heritage which represented the endeavor of a lifetime. It is impossible to replace most of the items, as they are unique,” said Dr. Khan.
However, he said the Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums is the regulatory authority only for government museums.
“We have no control over private collections, although we do advise them,” he explained.
