Cultural heritage in Iraq

The following appeared in ARCH-DL and is reproduced here with the
permission of the author

    From: "Dr. M.Z. Pluciennik" <mzp1 [at] leicester__ac__uk>
    To: "Multiple recipients of list ARCH-DL" <arch-dl [at] leicester__ac__uk>
    Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 2:47 AM
    Subject: [ARCH-DL:674] RE: Iraq Archaeological Remediation and Rehab

    You may be interested in the following recent report from SALON:
    the Society of Antiquaries of London Newsletter (No 49,
    31/3/03):

        War not the only threat to Iraqi treasures

        Professor Lord Renfrew, FSA, has questioned publicly the
        activities of a wealthy and influential coalition of
        American collectors and curators who are seeking to acquire
        Iraqi antiquities after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Calling
        themselves the American Council for Cultural Policy, the
        group argues that 'legitimate dispersal of cultural
        material' is the best way of protecting it. To the alarm of
        archaeologists, the Council seems to have secured the ear of
        the US State and Defence Departments. Lord Renfrew
        commented: 'These collectors and curators want to be free to
        buy antiquities ... and want the antiquities legislation of
        Iraq to be relaxed in the aftermath of war.' The Council has
        defended its position by saying that there is a serious risk
        of looting in Iraq after the war and that its sole aim is to
        save the country's archaeological wealth from further loss
        or destruction.

        Dr Mark Pluciennik
        Director of Distance Learning Unit,
        School of Archaeology and Ancient History,
        University of Leicester,
        University Road,
        Leicester LE1 7RH
        United Kingdom
        +44 116 252 2729
        Fax: +44 116 223 1267
        m.pluciennik [at] le__ac__uk
        <URL:http://www.le.ac.uk/archaeology>


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:60
                 Distributed: Thursday, April 10, 2003
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