Alarming reports of illicit excavations around the world: conference in Berlin seeks ways to curb the illegal trade in antiquities
Press release from 12/12/2014
The international conference "Cultural Property in Danger: Looted Excavations and Illegal Trade" ended on Friday in Berlin with an urgent appeal to curb illegal excavations and the associated systematic destruction of cultural treasures from human history worldwide.
Speakers from all over the world and around 350 participants were invited by the German Archaeological Institute, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the German Association for Archaeology to the Federal Foreign Office over the past two days to discuss how looted excavations can be restricted and the illegal trade in antiquities prevented by law. The situation is particularly dramatic in crisis regions such as Syria, Iraq and Egypt. Not only is plundering systematic here, but the destruction of world cultural heritage is a consequence of radical ideology. At the end of the conference, it became clear that the problem situation worldwide is alarming. This applies to Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Mali as well as Greece, Italy and Europe as a whole. In Africa, North and South America and Asia, too, looted artefacts are being excavated and illegally traded.
"Every archaeological excavation is illegal unless it is officially authorised. We need a kind of 'antiquities passport' for the objects that are traded, which shows the export licence of the country of origin. The trade should make a voluntary commitment in its own interest to only sell objects with a clear provenance and to document this in the long term. It is also about raising awareness among tourists who want to bring back an antique souvenir from their holiday and thus unintentionally promote looted excavations," said Friederike Fless, President of the German Archaeological Institute. This approach is also being pursued by the amendment to the Cultural Protection Act, which is currently being prepared by Minister of State for Culture Grütters.
Research into the provenance of archaeological works is also becoming increasingly important for museums. The President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Hermann Parzinger, spoke out in favour of having all archaeological objects acquired after 1970 examined. "The quality of a collection today also depends crucially on the quality of its provenance. Transparency of the acquisition circumstances is essential for this. Experts from museums are also important partners in the fight against crime. They are increasingly needed in the identification of antiquities and work closely with the police and customs authorities. The expansion of object databases and geo-information systems, such as those currently being developed for Syria, are crucial instruments for international action against illegal trade," says Parzinger."
Further information
- This press release as a PDF document (PDF, 355 KB, not barrier-free)
- Event notice with conference programme
- Press photos