Standing before two priceless winged bull statues, Raimon Daniel struggled to compose himself before delivering a verdict on the recently reopened Iraqi National Museum.

"It's sad when your history can mostly fit in one room," he said, as he surveyed a series of massive marble reliefs depicting Mesopotamian history.

As imposing remnants of a lost civilization, the artifacts stir visitors who venture deep into the museum's cavernous galleries. But as an Assyrian who's seen the Islamic State overrun his culture's ancient heritage, gutting the ruins of Nineveh, Nimrud, and Hatra in northern Iraq, Daniel was deeply moved by the display. "Coming here, this is getting back at the jihadists," the recent university graduate said, holding back tears.

The museum, which has been mostly