A lion-headed eagle, made of gold and tar dated to the third millennium B.C., is on display at an exhibition at the national museum in Damascus in this January 30, 2011 file photo. Syrian museums have locked away thousands of ancient treasures to protect them from looting and violenc,e but one of humanity's greatest cultural heritages remains in grave peril, the archaeologist charged with their protection said.KHALED AL-HARIRI/Reuters