Saturday, December 13, 2014

More Debunking of the $36 million figure

Artnet news, citing German sources, has also debunked the claim that $36 million in antiquities were looted from one area in Syria.   Why is this so important?  - because the figure has been used to justify proposed changes in the law in both Germany and the United States that will impose the "devil's proof" on collectors of common artifacts which have been legally held for generations.

4 comments:

John H said...

Most seriously perhaps, is that many archaeologists, on the one the hand reckon 'archaeology' is something akin to 'science' of forensic accuracy, yet, when it suits them, latch on to and promote UNPROVEN allegations as FACT.

This must in my view, and I suspect others too, strongly suggest that if they are capable of such chicanery, how much reliance, even integrity, can be placed on their academic work?

Presumably, some US legislators are being led by the nose up the garden path? It will be illuminating to see which US Senators and Congressmen fall for the ruse.

Warm wishes

John Howland
England

John H said...

Most seriously perhaps, is that many archaeologists, on the one the hand reckon 'archaeology' is something akin to 'science' of forensic accuracy, yet, when it suits them, latch on to and promote UNPROVEN allegations as FACT.

This must in my view, and I suspect others too, strongly suggest that if they are capable of such chicanery, how much reliance, even integrity, can be placed on their academic work?

Presumably, some US legislators are being led by the nose up the garden path? It will be illuminating to see which US Senators and Congressmen fall for the ruse.

Warm wishes

John Howland
England

Cultural Property Observer said...

John, this is a good point worth a separate blog post.

Anonymous said...

Why do you doubt these figures?There is a Syrian Artifact Erosion Counter after all?