Art, Antiquity and the Law : Preserving Our Global Cultural Heritage

This publication originated from a three-day international conference, as fifty-one experts from around the world addressed a major international crisis -- the worldwide looting, theft, and destruction of monuments, sites, artifacts, and works of art that constitute our global cultural heritage. The illegal excavation and transfer of cultural property has reached an all-time high, thanks to a booming international art market, and despite international censure and attempts at regulation. Careless development threatens or destroys priceless artifacts. War causes irreparable destruction of monuments and works of art, and, in turn, the obliteration of a people's sense of place.These trends produce complex, often intertwined problems. Archaeologists, cultural heritage specialists, and experts in cultural property law provide an in-depth, area-specific introduction using case studies focused on particular regions. They address the legal, ethical, and practical issues that have fueled this crisis and the steps that are being taken to stop the destruction and illegal traffic. Finally, the book serves to document these efforts by bringing together all relevant treaties, conventions, resolutions, and other position papers.Art, Antiquity, and the Law shows that what is at stake is not only the antiquities themselves but the information they can impart -- which can be understood only if they are excavated by persons able to give them the attention they deserve.Harvey, Archer St. Clair is the author of 'Art, Antiquity and the Law : Preserving Our Global Cultural Heritage', published 2000 under ISBN 9780813528496 and ISBN 0813528496.