Looting in Syria

© David Gill

BBC's File on Four investigative team have made a detailed exploration of the movement of looted antiquities from Syria to the markets of western Europe. They look at material that is on offer for sale in Beirut, and other objects that have been seized in Lebanon. The journalist asked specifically about Roman mosaics.

One of those interviewed spoke about the shift in volume of material moving out of Syria since the start of the recent conflict.

The BBC emphasised the need to verify information especially about the amounts of money highlighted from captured UCB sticks.

One of the UNESCO officials spoke of the need to dampen down the market as she expected some objects could be stored for some years. A middleman in Turkey talked about one object that had sold for $1.1 million.

Some material apparently from the region was spotted on the London market.

There was a discussion of the lack of regulation ("unacceptable") in the antiquities market in London.