Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, and the Antiquities Trade

365 Pages·2006·4.78 MB·English

by  Neil Brodie

Archaeology,
Brodie, Cultural Heritage,
Neil Brodie is research director of the Archaeological artifacts have become a traded
Kersel, Luke,
Illicit Antiquities Research Centre at the and Tubb commodity in large part because the global
McDonald Institute for Archaeological and the Antiquities Trade reach of Western society allows easy access to
Research, University of Cambridge. Morag
the world’s archaeological heritage. Acquired
M. Kersel, recently completed her Ph.D.
by the world’s leading museums and private
at the University of Cambridge where she
collectors, antiquities have been removed from
studies the legal trade of antiquities in the
a A archaeological sites, monuments, or cultural
Middle East. Christina Luke is a research n
r
d c institutions and illegally traded. This collection
fellow in the department of archaeology at h
t
h a of essays by world-recognized experts investigates
Boston University. Kathryn Walker Tubb e e
is a lecturer in cultural heritage studies and A ol the ways that commodifying artifacts fuels
conservation in the Institute of Archaeology, n og the destruction of archaeological heritage and
t
University College, London. iq y, considers what can be done to protect it. Despite

u C growing national and international legislation
it u
i l to protect cultural heritage, increasing numbers
e t
s u
T r of archaeological sites—among them, war-torn
a
r l Afghanistan and Iraq—are subject to pillage as
a
H
d the monetary value of artifacts rises. Offering
e e
r comprehensive examinations of archaeological
i
t
a site looting, the antiquities trade, the ruin of
g
e cultural heritage resources, and the international
,

“The looting of archaeological sites and museums has recently been brought vividly to public efforts to combat their destruction, the authors
attention. In this book, many of the world’s experts on the subject examine the extent of the
argue that the antiquities market impacts cultural
problem, how trafficking in illicit artifacts is carried out, and what can be done to save our
heritage around the world and is a burgeoning
cultural heritage.”—Ellen Herscher, contributing editor, Archaeology magazine
global crisis.
University Press of Florida
University Press of Florida

15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079 E Neil Brodie,
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http://www.upf.com
isbn 0-8130-2972-4 i Morag M. Kersel,
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,!7IA8B3-acjhcg! upf e
d Christina Luke, and

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Kathryn Walker Tubb
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Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, and the Antiquities Trade
Cultural Heritage Studies
University Press of Florida
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers
Florida International University, Miami
Florida State University, Tallahassee
New College of Florida, Sarasota
University of Central Florida, Orlando
University of Florida, Gainesville
University of North Florida, Jacksonville
University of South Florida, Tampa
University of West Florida, Pensacola
Cultural Heritage Studies
Edited by Paul Shackel, University of Maryland
The University Press of Florida is proud to announce the creation of a new series devoted to the
study of cultural heritage. This thematic series brings together research devoted to under-
standing the material and behavioral characteristics of heritage. The series explores the uses of
heritage and the meaning of its cultural forms as a way to interpret the present and the past. The
series highlights important scholarship related to America’s diverse heritage.
Books include important theoretical contributions and descriptions of significant cultural
resources. Scholarship addresses questions related to culture and describes how local and
national communities develop and value the past. The series includes works in public archaeol-
ogy, heritage tourism, museum studies, vernacular architecture, history, American studies, and
material cultural studies.
Heritage of Value, Archaeology of Renown: Reshaping Archaeological Assessment and Significance
Edited by Clay Mathers, Timothy Darvill, and Barbara J. Little (2005)
Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, and the Antiquities Trade
Edited by Neil Brodie, Morag M. Kersel, Christina Luke, and Kathryn Walker Tubb (2006)
Authors interested in contributing to the Cultural Heritage Studies series
should send inquiries to:
Paul A. Shackel
Department of Anthropology
1119 Woods Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Archaeology, Cultural Heritage,
and the Antiquities Trade
Edited by
Neil Brodie, Morag M. Kersel, Christina Luke,
and Kathryn Walker Tubb
Foreword by Paul A. Shackel
University Press of Florida
Gainesville/Tallahassee/Tampa/Boca Raton
Pensacola/Orlando/Miami/Jacksonville/Ft. Myers/Sarasota
Copyright 2006 by Neil Brodie, Morag M. Kersel, Christina Luke, and Kathryn Walker Tubb
All rights reserved
A record of cataloging-in-publication data is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-0-8130-2972-6 (cloth)
ISBN 978-0-8130-3711-0 (e-book)
The University Press of Florida is the scholarly publishing agency for the State University System
of Florida, comprising Florida A&M University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast
University, Florida International University, Florida State University, New College of Florida,
University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of North Florida, University of
South Florida, and University of West Florida.
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
http://www.upf.com
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
Foreword ix
Preface and Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction 1
Neil Brodie
1. Protecting Cultural Heritage in Conflict 25
Lyndel V. Prott
2. The U.S. Legal Response to the Protection of the World Cultural Heritage
36
Marina Papa Sokal
3. Recent Developments in the Legal Protection of Cultural Heritage 68
Patty Gerstenblith
4. Convicted Dealers: What We Can Learn 93
Peter Watson
5. St. Lawrence Island’s Legal Market in Archaeological Goods 98
Julie Hollowell
6. A Model Investigative Protocol for Looting and Anti-Looting Educational
Program 133
Robert D. Hicks
7. The Plunder of the Ulúa Valley, Honduras, and a Market Analysis for Its
Antiquities 147
Christina Luke and John S. Henderson
8. Looting Lydia: The Destruction of an Archaeological Landscape in Western
Turkey 173
Christopher H. Roosevelt and Christina Luke
9. From the Ground to the Buyer: A Market Analysis of the Trade in Illegal
Antiquities 188
Morag M. Kersel
10. The Plunder of Iraq’s Archaeological Heritage, 1991–2005, and the London
Antiquities Trade 206
Neil Brodie
11. Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage: An Exceptional Case? 227
Juliette van Krieken-Pieters
12. Illicit Trafficking and Trade in Indian Antiquities: Renewed Efforts to Save
and Preserve India’s Heritage 236
S. K. Pachauri
13. Museum Acquisitions: Responsibilities for the Illicit Traffic in Antiquities
245
Colin Renfrew
14. Structural Complexity and Social Conflict in Managing the Past at Copán,
Honduras 258
Lena Mortensen
15. Supporting and Promoting the Idea of a Shared Cultural Patrimony 270
Paula Kay Lazrus
16. Artifacts and Emotion 284
Kathryn Walker Tubb
17. Conclusion: The Social and Cultural Contexts of Collecting 303
Neil Brodie and Christina Luke
Appendix A. Law Enforcement Responsibilities Checklist 321
Appendix B. Archaeologist’s Responsibilities Checklist 326
Appendix C. A Practical Exercise in Criminal Investigation 328
List of Contributors 341
Index 343
Illustrations
Figures
Intro.1. U.S. art museums with archaeological material originating outside the
United States 11
5.1. Okvik-style ivory figurines 102
5.2. The market for St. Lawrence Island archaeological materials 106
5.3. The market pyramid of low-end to high-end products 107
5.4. Digging spot in Alaska 108
5.5. Doll made by Beulah Oitillian of Gambell 111
5.6. Old Bering Sea–style harpoon head made in Bali from old ivory 112
5.7. Artifacts for sale in a Skagway shop 113
5.8. Old Bering Sea–style harpoon counterweight or “winged object” 114
5.9. Marie Ninglalook and Wes Komonaseak excavating on the Kurigitavik
Mound in Wales, Alaska 126
7.1. Travesía core area 153
7.2. Ulúa marble vase 154
7.3. Drawing of Ulúa marble vase 155
7.4. Percentage of pillaged sites in the valley 156
7.5. Looted Travesía 157
7.6. Sequence of looting at Calabazas: mounds in plaza group 158
7.7. Sequence of looting at Calabazas: looting of mounds 158
7.8. Sequence of looting at Calabazas: final stages of site leveling 159
8.1. The Hacılı A (or “Tombaktepe”) tumulus in central Lydia 177
8.2. The partially destroyed tomb chamber of the Çaldagˇ M (or “Musacalıtepe”)
tumulus 178
8.3. Looters’ tunnels and equipment in the Menye A tumulus 180
9.1. Market flow of the trade in illegal antiquities 189
9.2. Pathway of a coin from Hebron to New York City 195
10.1. Number of cylinder seals offered for sale annually in London at Sotheby’s
(1980–96) and Bonhams (1999–2004) 216
10.2. Number of cylinder seals offered for sale annually in London at Christie’s
(1981–2004) 216
10.3. Combined number of unprovenanced cylinder seals offered in London at
Christie’s and Bonhams, spring and fall sales 217
viii / Illustrations
16.1. Mesopotamian antiquities offered for sale in 1990s catalogues 292
16.2. Looted Sumerian city site of Umma (Tell Jokha) 297
Tables
Intro.1. Returns of Stolen or Illegally Exported Archaeological Artifacts
by U.S. Art Museums 13
2.1. Bills Leading up to the Convention on Cultural Property
Implementation Act 38
2.2. Overview of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation
Act 39
Maps
5.1. The Bering Strait region 99
7.1. The Ulúa Valley in greater Mesoamerica 148
7.2. Lower Ulúa Valley sites discussed in the text 150
8.1. Approximate limits of Lydia 174
8.2. Lydia tumulus groups, Lydian and Persian period sites 179
Foreword
There is an international heritage crisis: archaeological sites are being looted at
an increasing rate and the illicit antiquities trade is escalating throughout the
world. Looting and the antiquities trade severely affect those who wish to know
the social history of a place and culture. As plunder escalates, so do the number
of participants in the trade, and the battle for heritage protection becomes in-
creasingly personal for all those involved. Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, and
the Antiquities Trade provides many in-depth case studies in which the authors
show the complex realities of a tough and sometimes losing battle.
With the growing interest in heritage throughout the world, many people
and governments are becoming more aware that archaeological sites and ob-
jects of antiquity are components that may be used in the creation of group
and national identities. The Harris Poll sponsored by the Society for American
Archaeology in 2004 provides some indication about what Americans think
about archaeology. Overwhelmingly, people are supportive of archaeology and
endorse laws that protect archaeological sites and artifacts. They believe that
archaeology is important to our society: almost all of those interviewed be-
lieve that archaeological resources on public lands should be protected by laws.
Americans also believe that public funds should be used to protect and preserve
archaeological resources, and almost two-thirds of those interviewed believe
that objects of antiquity should not be removed from a foreign country without
permission from the government of the relevant country.
The poll showed also that about one-third of the American public has been
to an archaeological site, and the majority of those polled have visited museums
with archaeological materials. While the public sees archaeological objects as
important and worthy of saving, the illicit trade and the destruction of archaeo-
logical sites continue at a significant rate. Most people understand the value
of archaeological objects, but they are often unaware of the fact that without
context, the objects lack the critical correlates that would aid in understanding
the social past. This lack of understanding of context is often reinforced by art
museums when they display artifacts as “art” objects. The goal of these “art”
exhibitions is to foster an appreciation of the objects for their aesthetic value
rather than to interpret the larger story they can help unfold when their context
is clear. Some museums also exhibit looted objects and monuments, and several
authors in this volume address the ethical issue of acquisition and display of