A blog commenting on various aspects of the private collecting and trade in archaeological artefacts today and their effect on the archaeological record.
[...] the history of civilization is being dismantled in the destruction of cultural heritage sites. These acts have a meaning all their own.
The United States could take the lead in containing the damage and putting the pieces back together.
[....] Already in place is the International Council on Monuments and Sites (US/ICOMOS), a UNESCO-mandated organization that could help our armed forces recruit teams that would include experts in archaeology and art as well as authorities on the broader man-made environment.
These new teams, nimble and opportunistic, could be authorized to take covert actions designed to halt destruction and, where possible, bring in the expertise to rebuild. [...] Send the Monuments Men into the field, perhaps protected by Seal Team Six or the Delta Force, where they can secure key sites or to bring relief to shattered towns.
So, the US is now paying its UNESCO subs again? When did that happen?So these "nimble and opportunistic teams" what mandate would they have to act and what would their relationship be with native heritage professionals on the ground?
The destruction of Palmyra has already begun with the demolition of two shrines just outside these irreplaceable ruins. We cannot wait until the Islamic State blows up the Lion God in its craven jihad against idolatry.
British archaeologist living and working in Warsaw, Poland. Since the early 1990s (or even longer) a primary interest has been research on artefact hunting and collecting and the market in portable antiquities in the international context and their effect on the archaeological record.
"coiney" - a term I use for private collector of dug up ancient coins, particularly a member of the Moneta-L forum or the ACCG
"heap-of-artefacts-on-a-table-collecting" the term rather speaks for itself, an accumulation of loose artefacts with no attempt to link each item with documented origins. Most often used to refer to metal detectorists (ice-cream tubs-full) and ancient coin collectors (Roman coins sold in aggregated bulk lots)
"tekkie" - metal detectorist/metal detecting (a form of artefact hunting)
CDE - Collection-Driven Exploitation of archaeological sites
CPAC - Cultural Property Advisory Committee [US]
FLO - Finds Liaison Officer (post in the PAS)
HER - Historic Environment Record [UK]
IAPN - International Association of Professional Numismatists
MENA - Middle East and North Africa
PAS - Portable Antiquities Scheme
PNG - Professional Numismatists' Guild
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCO 1970 Convention - Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
Ronald Lee Fleming and Anthony Flint, 'To save world heritage sites from destruction, the US should bring back Monuments Men' 
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