Another shining example of how national interests are put before the interests of archaeology and “culture”. One more reason why UNESCO and treating antiquities as the cultural “heritage” and “property” of the source nation are mistakes. Iranian Archaeologists are Banned from Interviewing | CAIS Archaeological News. LONDON, (CAIS) – In an unprecedented move by the Iran’s Cultural Continue reading →
Posts Tagged ‘cultural property’
Iranian Archaeologists are Banned from giving interviews | CAIS Archaeological News
Saturday, March 14th, 2009Treaty On Antiquities Hinders Access For Museums By James Cuno
Friday, March 13th, 2009A VERY interesting article in Science News. Some of the points of interest brought out by James Cuno: 1. [UNESCO] hasn’t stopped looting. In fact, from what we hear, looting is increasing…conditions emerge that can create pressures for looting. Simply criminalizing the illegal acquisition of goods won’t stop looting. It hasn’t stopped the trade in drugs Continue reading →
China sanctions Christie’s – Cultural property or political property?
Thursday, February 26th, 2009According to a Bloomberg report “China said it will tighten control on the activities of Christie’s International, hours after the auction house sold a pair of Qing Dynasty bronzes in Paris for 31.4 million euros ($40 million), ignoring calls to return them.” For starters, the heads were designed by an Italian creator. Add to this Continue reading →
Are ancient coins cultural heritage?
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009The radical archaeologist movement tries very hard to convince people that this is so. In the broadest sense perhaps, just as the spare change in my pocket represents aspects of the country in which I live. But so is every other item ever made by a specific culture or society. The real question that needs Continue reading →
Whose cultural heritage is it, anyway?
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009A recent blog post on Peter Tompa’s Cultural Property Observer really shocked me. An article in the Arab News on Monday January 26, 2009 relates that Saudi Arabia has been working hard to retreive “national antiquities”. This is a theme which we have seen a lot in the recent past and the idea of “cultural heritage” Continue reading →