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A legal resource for cultural property, archaeology, and art law enthusiasts.
Browsing All Posts filed under »Armed Conflict«
Cultural Property Protection and the U.S. Military: A View From an Army Archaeologist
Please see the following notice from DePaul regarding a program that will be happening… tomorrow!! If you are in the Chicago area, it sounds like it’d be worth checking out. Sorry for the late notice, but we are very fortunate to have Dr. Laurie Rush as a guest speaker at DePaul College of Law this […]
Emergency “Red List” of Endangered Syrian Artifacts Released, Includes Sculptures, Coins
September 26, 2013
ICOM (International Council of Museums) officials worked remotely to create a “Red List” of artifacts endangered by the current conflict in Syria. This Red List will be disseminated to law enforcement agencies, museums, and artifact dealers worldwide, in an attempt to prevent their illicit trade and/or destruction. The Emergency Red List of Syrian Cultural Objects at […]
U.S. Government Declines to Disclose How It Obtained 10,000 Illegally Exported Iraqi Artifacts
August 7, 2013
The 2003 US invasion of Iraq was a disaster for the country in terms of preserving their archaeological heritage. Looters stole 15,000 artifacts from the Baghdad museum in the chaos, of which only 25% have been recovered. Authorities have recovered 130,000 artifacts stolen from other places in Iraq, but tens of thousands of pieces are […]
Shocking Pics of Looting in Syria
July 31, 2013
Today in Really Sad Looting Stories, Bloomberg reports: When the uprising against Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad began two years ago, satellite images showed the ruins of the ancient Hellenic city of Apamea surrounded by green farmland. A year later, photos reveal a moonscape blighted by hundreds upon hundreds of holes. Looters in bulldozers armed with […]
Plans to ‘Invest’ in Ancient Sites Angers Palestinians
January 31, 2013
Israel is forging ahead with plans to invest in a number of its national heritage sites, including nine sites along the West Bank. The plans, including that of adding a handicapped accessible entrance to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, have elicited a an angry response from Palestinians. When Israeli officials initially announced that they would […]
Mali Conflict Puts Timbuktu in Danger
January 28, 2013
In light of the escalating violence in Mali, UNESCO has recently began to urge armed forces to protect Timbuktu’s historic and religious landmarks. As recently reported, the ongoing conflict has posed a grave and imminent threat to Timbuktu’s cultural heritage. According to residents of Timbuktu, the Islamic fighters have already committed severe damage the city’s […]
Cultural Life in Mali: “No one wanted this war.”
September 28, 2012
From an excellent perspective on the cultural decimation in Mali: So much has already been threatened – from the Al-Farouk statue in Timbuktu so unceremoniously decapitated, to the tombs of saints smashed with pick axes, their destruction recorded on mobile phones. Invaluable research work into Mali’s history has been put on hold – the entire […]
Militia Destroys Ancient Libraries in Mali
September 19, 2012
I recently posted on the assault on cultural heritage in Mali. A recent article in Newsweek Magazine reports that the situation has continued to worsen. The radical, Tuareg-led militia – which calls itself Ansar Eddine – is now enforcing brutal laws including the stoning of adulterers, mutilation of thieves, and veiling of all women. As […]
Conflict Endangers Syrian Treasures
August 28, 2012
The recent fighting in Syrian city Aleppo poses irreparable damage to the city’s architectural and cultural legacy. A recent article in The New York Times explains that, as the world’s oldest continuously inhabited human settlement, Aleppo has been home to different civilizations for over 5,000 years. One of the oldest structures in the world – […]
UNESCO Pleads With Syrian Secretary-General to Preserve Citadel of Aleppo
July 30, 2012
More than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the Syrian conflict began some 16 months ago. In the midst of the fighting, historical and cultural monuments have also been put at risk. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has issued a plea to those fighting to conserve the monuments. UNESCO […]
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Cultural Property & Archaeology Law 
October 22, 2013
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