A new study details how Syrian archaeologists rescued about 30,000 priceless artifacts from the Deir ez-Zor Museum as ISIS advanced on the city in 2014. 

The collection included ancient statues, jewelry and cuneiform tablets, including artifacts from the important Mesopotamian city of Mari. 

The operation was part of a much larger effort that relocated roughly 300,000 museum objects from locations across Syria threatened by war and ISIS. 

Archaeologists faced significant risks because the museum was connected to a military airport by a narrow corridor while fighting and ISIS expansion were rapidly intensifying, Fox News has reported.

The study’s author, archaeologist Maamoun Abdulkarim, said the rescue demonstrates the importance of acting quickly and adapting during wartime to prevent irreplaceable cultural heritage from being destroyed or looted.