Thursday, February 18, 2016

More Cultural Racketeering In Egypt

Egyptian authorities are belatedly investigating the disappearence of 157 objects from Saqquara.  The Antiquities Coalition has yet to comment on such cultural racketeering  and the distinct possibility that high level insiders are involved.  Hopefully, this will not be yet another case where investigations of high level officials go nowhere. As CPO has previously observed, grandstanding is easy, but taking real care of one's cultural heritage is hard.
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1 comment:

  1. John HFebruary 21, 2016 at 1:05 AM

    As Deborah Lehr,Chairman and Co-Founder of the Antiquities Coalition writes on the AC's website:-

    "It is not just the terrorists who are trafficking in these illicit antiquities. Organized criminal gangs are profiting from wide scale and systematic looting – or cultural racketeering."

    Might I humbly suggest that she add 'some heritage and museum officials' to her list?

    Unsurprisingly for a self-appointed heritage worker, she reckons, "In a time of crisis some argue," she writes,"A choice must be made between saving lives and saving culture. But that is a false choice."

    No oil lamp, shard, or coin is above human life.

    Best

    John Howland
    UK

    ReplyDelete

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