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Archaeological looting is the illicit removal of artifacts from an archaeological site. Such looting is the major source of artifacts for the antiquities market . [ 1 ] Looting typically involves either the illegal exportation of artifacts from their country of origin or the domestic distribution of looted goods. [ 2 ]
Looting of ancient artifacts has a long tradition. As early as 1884, laws passed in Mesopotamia about moving and destroying antiquities. [1] By the end of World War I, British-administrated Mesopotamia created protections for archaeological sites where looting was beginning to become a problem. [2]
Looting is the act of stealing, ... for example, caused a significant increase in the looting of antiquities from archaeological sites in Egypt, ...
The sack of Jerusalem, from the inside wall of the Arch of Titus, Rome. Looted art has been a consequence of looting during war, natural disaster and riot for centuries. Looting of art, archaeology and other cultural property may be an opportunistic criminal act or may be a more organized case of unlawful or unethical pillage by the victor of a conflict.
Looting is often the main source of artifacts that enter into the antiquities market, in which objects are sold domestically or exported internationally. In the United States, there are laws for the protection of archaeological sites that contain penalties for those who choose to loot or cause disturbances. [ 10 ]
Looting of archaeological sites is an ancient problem. For instance, many of the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs were looted during antiquity. [137] Archaeology stimulates interest in ancient objects, and people in search of artifacts or treasure cause damage to archaeological sites.
Mound looters face fines up to $10,000.
The great public interest in art repatriation helped fuel the expansion of public museums in Europe and launched museum-funded archaeological explorations. The concept of art and cultural repatriation gained momentum through the latter decades of the twentieth century, and began to show fruition by the end of the century, when key works were ...