Loot, Legitimacy and Ownership: The Ethical Crisis in Archaeology

Debates in Archaeology

by Colin Renfrew, Richard Hodges (Series Editor)

Colin Renfrew argues that what is most precious in archaeology is the information that excavations can shed on our human past. Yet the clandestine and unpublished digging of archaeological sites for gain - looting - is destroying the context in which archaeological findings can be understood, as well as sabotaging the most valuable information. It is the source of most of the antiquities that appear on the art market today - unprovenanced antiquities, the product of illicit traffic financed, knowingly or not by the collectors and museums that buy them on a no-questions-asked basis. This trade has turned London as well as other international centres into a 'thieves kitchen' where greed triumphs over serious appreciation of the past. Unless a solution is found to this ethical crisis in archaeology, Renfrew argues that our record of the past will be vastly diminished, and his book lays bare the misunderstanding and hypocrisy that underlies that crisis.

Genres: Archaeology, Nonfiction, Anthropology, History

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2000

About the author

Andrew Colin Renfrew, Baron Renfrew of Kaimsthorn was a British archaeologist, paleolinguist and Conservative peer noted for his work on radiocarbon dating, the prehistory of languages, archaeogenetics, neuroarchaeology, and the prevention of looting at archaeological sites.
Renfrew was also the Disney Professor of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge and Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research and was a Senior Fellow of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.

Reviews

[Caitlyn Veenstra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was required in my Cultural Property Law course. I found it interested, but possibly outdated. The facts are mixed in with Renfrew's personal feelings on each case study.

[Sohvi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting short case studies. Unfortunately it was a bit dry, despite of the very interesting topic. Quick read, and half of the book is appendixes. But the book is 15 years old, and not all up to date. I would still recommend this as s resource if you are working with cultural heritage. Just consider also consulting newer stuff.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast read, interesting case studies, consistent moral ground.

This old hand values archaeological "context" over loot: it doesn't seem like he cares about "ownership" so much as the "damage" looting does to the archaeologist's ability to uncover the past.