Terrorists do not make money by selling antiquities

terrorists do not make money by selling antiquities

But what about blood antiquities? As a satellite archaeologist, I know this because I have been watching. We can see clearly the destruction. We can also see something else just as important that they are doing much more quietly: they are renting out the land on which archaeological sites sit to people who appear to be professional looters in order to sell priceless antiquities for profit. There are real reasons we should all antiquites about both the destruction and the plunder. Sdlling is systematic, controlled — and of great strategic importance to a terrorist organization. Keller estimates that as many as 5, archeological sites sit in territory ISIL controls, and that the group has earned several million dollars from antiquities sales since the middle of We suspect that the sale of antiquities is connected to gun running, drug and human trafficking, and that they are potentially following the same routes to black markets in the East and West. I n archaeology, antiquitiee is. Objects allow us to reconstruct the past.

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But when the family tried to get the collections through U. But antiquities experts raise another concern: that by purchasing this art in the first place, the Greens may have unknowingly sponsored military groups and terrorist networks like al-Qaeda, which has sold antiquities for more than a decade. The Islamic State, or ISIS, has engaged in the practice as it seized more territory from the Iraqi and Syrian governments and rebel groups, but dramatically scaled their activities: whereas al-Qaeda previously charged an extortion fee to looters, ISIS now controls more than 4, archaeological sites and controls the selling process. Last February, the United Nations adopted a resolution stating that its members would seek to prevent terrorist groups, including ISIS, from profiting off these sales. According to Col. Bogdanos is all too familiar with antiquities looting in Iraq: in , he led the U. But as he told VF. It went through three or four sets of hands in between. If they suddenly appear on the market since then, they should be treated as illegitimate. Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

terrorists do not make money by selling antiquities

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Networks of criminals are trading priceless Middle Eastern antiquities—from entire Roman mosaics to full Pharaonic coffins—on Facebook, and there are no rules to stop them. The Athar Project , a group of volunteer anthropologists, have released a new report based on their monitoring of 95 Arabic-language Facebook groups where individuals in conflict zones like Syria, Yemen and Libya offer artifacts for sale, including to US buyers. According to their network analysis, one of the most important individuals in the trafficking network is based in Michigan City, Indiana. The researchers identified several extremist groups, some fighting in Syria and others connected to Al Qaeda or ISIS, that benefitted from these sales.

Related wikiHows. Did this article help you? We humans When speaking a new language, what matters most is your attitude — not your accuracy. Ultimately, we need to shut down the markets for blood antiquities. Sections U.

The middlemen who buy and sell antiquities looted by Islamic State from Syria and Iraq explain how the smuggling supply chain works

We humans When speaking a new language, what matters most is your attitude — not your accuracy. Did this summary help you? Find a supplier to supply your merchandise. But some terrorists use looting to make koney. The pyramids in ancient Egypt were looted not long after they were officially sealed, 4, years ago. Britain is one of more than 90 other countries to have signed it. Homeland Security agents offer a running, online catalog of stolen relics that its agents have recovered and returned. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Tips Don’t quit your job to do this, unless you know you will succeed and you have definite buyers.

Objects were said to be stolen from archaeological sites in Libya

But what about blood antiquities? As a satellite archaeologist, I know this because I have been watching. We can see clearly the destruction. We can also see something else just as important that they are doing much more quietly: they are renting out the land on which archaeological sites sit to people who appear to be professional looters in order to sell priceless antiquities for profit. There are real reasons we should all care about both the destruction and the plunder. Looting is systematic, controlled — and of great strategic importance to a terrorist organization.

Keller estimates that as many as 5, archeological sites sit in territory ISIL controls, and that the group has earned several million dollars from antiquities sales since the middle of We suspect that the sale of antiquities is connected to gun running, drug and human trafficking, and that they are potentially following the same routes to black markets in the East and West.

I n archaeology, context is. Objects allow us to reconstruct the past. Taking artifacts from a temple or an ancient private house is like emptying out a time capsule. Of course, looting has always happened. The pyramids in ancient Egypt were looted not long after they were officially sealed, 4, years ago.

Ultimately, we need to shut down the markets for blood antiquities. But objects coming from Syria, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East right now may well be looted. We need to spread the word and let collectors know that, just as it does with blood diamonds or blood ivory, the purchase of blood antiquities supports criminal networks. Back in the s, people loved fur.

Now, very few people wear it. If we can raise awareness of the ethical issues involved in buying antiquities, we can find ways for everyone to be a part of understanding our shared history.

The past should be in our hearts, not on our shelves, and we should all be mindful of the true impact of looting, which affects us all, whether we know it or not. With the TED Prize, Sarah Parcak has built a citizen science platform for archaeology, called GlobalXplorerthat invites the world to help locate and protect ancient sites.

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Isis Antiquities Smuggling


Priceless pieces of history snatched from illicit diggings or swiped from museum cases have become one of the four most common commodities —- next to drugs, weapons and human beings —- to be trafficked by smugglers, according to United Nations investigators. Sign antiquuties for top Business news direct to your inbox. Many of those stolen items, from ancient necklaces to stone tablets, are routinely shuttled by middlemen through shadowy backchannels, but ultimately wind up for sale at legitimate auction houses or on the display shelves of Americans, reports the U. Department of Homeland Security. Antiquitis think this is a lesser crime,» Bandarin said at a recent news conference.

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Terrorists have long been tapping a chunk of the underground relic market. International laws, including a U. Britain is one of more than 90 other countries to have signed it. Homeland Security agents offer a running, online catalog of stolen relics that its agents have recovered and returned.

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