Artefact Trade and the February 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Sketch map of some of the Scythian
kurgans and the current Russian advance

 In reply to a statement from the European Association of Archaeologists I wrote:

STOP the European antiquities market handling material from the rampant artefact hunting (looting) already going on Ukraine. Get antiquities dealers engaged in real active source checking and not their usual performative perfunctory 'optical due diligence'. Artefacts must be shown to have legally left the territory of Ukraine before the beginning of conflict (27 February 2014 for Crimea and 24 February 2022 for the rest of the country). Responsible antiquities dealers should be able to demonstrate upfront in sales offers that they are doing this.

Earlier, on the basis of spotting a few items offered for sale I had also written Be on the lookout for Scythian artefacts as military activity plunges areas of Ukrainian territory into chaos. What appear to be Crimean artefacts have already appeared on the UK market. More vigilance needed and more watchdogs scrutinising antiquities market https://pic.twitter.com/5bSDgUNtot

According to profiling the profession, we have 6000 archaeologists in the UK, but it would seem that is not enough for there to be anyone really looking hard at this market and trying to organise something to deal with the problem of dodgy artefacts on it.

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