Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Where is the Petition Asking Turkey to Control its Borders?

The archaeological lobby's petitions asking the UN to call for a ban in the sale of Syrian antiquities have already received their share of attention in the archaeological blogosphere, but as far as CPO can tell, no scholar has yet proposed any similar petition addressed to the President of the Turkish Republic asking that Turkish authorities crack down on any effort to use the country as a transit point for looted artifacts.  After all, the Turkish Republic is uniquely situated to stem the flow of illicit Syrian antiquities given its long border with the country.  And with a large and well trained army, it can and should be able to control its own borders. 

Wonder why?

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3 comments:

  1. John HOctober 21, 2014 at 11:13 AM

    Yep, call me an old cynic, but I think this all hinges on, er,...um excavation permits?

    Never mind the 'illicit' antiquities, so-called, I can't see certain archaeologists jeopardizing freebie jaunts to Turkey with their mistresses, and/or, rent boys. What the wife don't see, the heart don't grieve over, perhaps?

    Warm regards

    John Howland
    England

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cultural Property ObserverOctober 21, 2014 at 11:42 AM

    John, no. 1 perhaps. No. 2 tend to doubt it in this iPhone with camera day, though perhaps that did happen on occasion back say in the 1930's.... I bet you like old movies as well as metal detecting!

    Best,

    Peter

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 22, 2014 at 9:51 AM

    Actually John likes old Scotch....

    ReplyDelete

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