Monday 12 July 2021

The Looting And Illicit Trafficking Of Antiquities


The Looting And Illicit Trafficking Of Antiquities
An interesting piece on Soundcloud in which Majdolene Dajani in
terviewing Professor Erin Thompson does a great job summarizing the relevant laws and giving examples:

The looting and illicit trafficking of antiquities is an issue that has gained considerable attention, especially over the last few years due to the impact of several armed conflicts on the tangible cultural heritage of several countries in Western Asia. An interview with professor Erin Thompson provides some insight into the various aspects and complexities of this topic including the sale of looted artifacts in legal art markets, law enforcement, repatriation, and fakes.
I think this is a really cleverly-constructed, well-balanced and interesting piece that covers a lot of different aspects. I was pleased to see the inclusion of Native American artefact looting (and UK "metal detecting") tucked in alongside the classical antiquities that tend to be treated as a separate issue. The emphasis however is very much that of the US. Perhaps some might find the music a bit intrusive (?), but I thought it was perfect for the topic and treatment.

Who'd love to see a UK version produced with the same coverage and panache? I'd not hold your breath though.

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