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Illicit antiquities are antiquities, or artifacts of archaeological interest, found in illegal or unregulated excavations, and traded covertly.
The global trade in illicit antiquities connects black-market activities in the countries of origin, by smuggling, to sales through international dealers and auction houses. Some estimates put its annual turnover in billions of US dollars. See American Council for Cultural Policy.
It is believed by many archaeologists and cultural heritage lawyers that the circulation, marketing and collectorship of ancient artifacts, the demand that it creates, cause the continuous looting and destruction of archaeological sites around the world[1]. Archaeological artifacts are internationally protected by the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and their circulation is prohibited by the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property[2]
Contents |
Peter Watson and Cecilia Todeschini, "The Medici Conspiracy: The Illicit Journey of Looted Antiquities"
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