tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972497915033440413.post2518383946946205962..comments2024-03-20T18:15:41.858+00:00Comments on Looting Matters: "The Acquisition of Undocumented Antiquities": A Diversion From Real Arguments?David Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13164794689385933318noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972497915033440413.post-75386928663696597742008-04-24T17:49:00.000+01:002008-04-24T17:49:00.000+01:00See the response from Sebastian Heath:http://medit...See the response from Sebastian Heath:<BR/><A HREF="http://mediterraneanceramics.blogspot.com/2008/04/looting-and-westphalian-sovereignty.html" REL="nofollow">http://mediterraneanceramics.blogspot.com/2008/04/looting-and-westphalian-sovereignty.html</A>.David Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13164794689385933318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972497915033440413.post-89736559061616427102008-04-22T09:37:00.000+01:002008-04-22T09:37:00.000+01:00PeterThank you for this response. My concern is th...Peter<BR/>Thank you for this response. My concern is that Cuno generalises about the "archaeological community". Does he have a specific institute or grouping in mind?<BR/>You also raise, as did Cuno, the deliberate destruction of cultural property for political or religious reasons. Again we are on common ground.<BR/>I look forward to reading Cuno's sustained thinking on these issues.<BR/>Best wishes<BR/>DavidDavid Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13164794689385933318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972497915033440413.post-42878474577910940462008-04-22T03:07:00.000+01:002008-04-22T03:07:00.000+01:00David- I suspect Jim Cuno agrees that preservatio...David- I suspect Jim Cuno agrees that preservation of context is desirable, but he would also say that the reflexive nationalism of many source countries stands in the way of addressing cultural property issues in a sensible manner, like Britain and Wales have done. <BR/><BR/>The power that source countries have over excavation permits provides a major disincentive for members of the archaeological community who might otherwise question the wisdom of the "state owns everything approach." In the United States, this manifests itself time and again at hearings before the Cultural Property Advisory Committee. In my opinion, the most troubling example of this phenomena was at the 2005 CPAC hearings on China's request for import restrictions. There was substantial evidence introduced at that hearing that the Chinese government has continued its campaign to destroy Tibet's cultural heritage to this day. Yet, a number of representatives of the archaeological community spoke in favor of China's rights to absolute control over Tibetan cultural artifacts. This was particularly troubling to me given the Dalai Lama's recognition that collectors have been instrumental in preserving that cultural heritage from destruction.<BR/><BR/>Under the circumstances, I think you discount the archaeological community's overt support for the nationalism of source countries and its negative impact on moving forward on these issues too much. <BR/><BR/>Sincerely,<BR/><BR/>Peter TompaCultural Property Observerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924359202414555962noreply@blogger.com