Not so long ago, American academics and heritage professionals were eager to leap in and tell Syrians and Ukrainians how to protect their own heritage by getting grant money and setting up in the USA various judgemental monitoring groups and even 'command centres' to engage their MAGA-like fantasies about being the world policeman (such as the Virginia/Smithsonian "Cultural Heritage Monitoring Lab"). And there was Stae Department money for this. Now that the United States of America is - together with its genocidal partner Israel - (again) the aggressor in the Middle East, one wonders whether US academics will be standing up actively for the heritage of Iran as their president issues a warning to bomb civilian targets in his illegal war (
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump Apr 04, 2026, 4:05 PM
"
Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic!) down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP"). Or will they sit quietly by complicitly this time?
A blog commenting on various aspects of the private collecting and trade in archaeological artefacts today and their effect on the archaeological record.