Greek Archaeologists Plead for Help to Save Historical Monuments

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Greece's archaeological service budget was reduced by 35 per cent, to 12 million euros ($16 million) in 2011 and will be cut further this year.

Greek archaeologists appealed to Europeans to help protect the embattled nation’s cultural patrimony during a time of austerity [...] the economic crisis in Greece is putting antiquities under threat by looters and by a lack of upkeep as budgets are slashed. “Our cultural heritage is not for sale,” Despina Koutsoumba, the head of the Greek Archaeologists’ Association, was quoted by Reuters as saying. “We don’t want markets to rule over our cultural heritage, our history and our democracy.”

I wonder what non-European dealers and collectors will be doing to help? At the moment some of them are rubbing their hands with glee and anticipation, hoping that some of it will be for sale.

Reuters, Greek archaeologists plead for help to save historical monuments,

Vignette: Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images.