Amariyan Ghosts
Baghdad, Iraq  2002

      The out of focus picture, the woman dressed in white and the man in white, barely discernible in the background, suggests the sacredness of this place and those souls who sought sanctuary here but found a tomb instead. At various spots along the walls and on the floor are shadows of the occupants, flash burned into the concrete by the blast. They serve as grim reminders of the tragedy that took place here.

      The young women in the foreground was our guide and interpreter. She is a university student studying the ancient Sumerian language and works part time as an interpreter at the Amariyah bomb shelter. She is proud of her rich heritage and is seeking to understand more about its roots through her studies

CSpaulding
January 2003