Archaeological Looting in Syria

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Hama Antiquities Directorate has reported that clandestine excavations, random digging and looting of archaeological artefacts and the theft of mosaics at the archaeological site of the city of Apamia. The Head of the Apamia Antiquities Department, Abdul Qader Farzat, said that the stolen things included an important mosaic depiction of waterwheels. Farzat said that the archeological sites which have been attacked are Kherbet Um Keibat and other sites in Zayzoun, Qastoun, Tar al-Ola, Qanas and Tamak.

Source: R. Raslan/ al-Ibrahim (I think that is author and translator), 'Secret Excavations, Random Digging and Steal Operations of Archeological Findings Revealed in Hama', Syrian Arab news agency Feb 20, 2012.

European Tourist Detained in Syria for Alleged Artefact Smuggling

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It was reported yesterday that a person was arrested on February 4 and is being detained in Syria on suspicion of smuggling ancient coins. The unnamed woman is married to a Syrian national and lives permanently with her husband in Cyprus.

The couple were on a visit to Syria for medical purposes and leisure [...] and the woman was arrested at the airport in possession of a large number of coins [...] no formal charges have been made yet as the Syrian authorities were still examining her case.

It would be interesting to know what line of business her husband is in. Perhaps somebody about to flee the country sold off his "old collection" to a foreign tourist (funny time to visit Syria on a holiday), or perhaps they were stolen from the rubble of a shelled building. Or maybe they are "just" the products of looting of archaeological sites in more peaceful times. Whatever the origin of these ancient coins, they will not be the only ones "surfacing" just now on the international market which originated in this unhappy country. Do coin collectors care? See below.

Stefanos Evripidou, 'Cypriot woman arrested in Syria', Cyprus Mail February 10, 2012

Syrian Site Being Looted in Unrest

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Several archaeological sites in the ancient city of Apamea in Syria have been vandalized and pillaged by groups taking advantage of the events in Syria to excavate secretly, dig randomly and steal artefacts. Some of the looters attacked site guards and threatened to kill them if they tried to stop them.

H. Sabbagh, 'Archeological Sites in Ancient City of Apamea Vandalized and Pillaged', Syrian Arab News Agency, Sep 20, 2011.



Photo: Apamea in NW Syria. Sites with upstanding remains like this are particularly prone to attack by looters, after both sculpted elements as well as "minor artefacts" which may be recovered easily from the places pinpointed by the surface remains.

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