Archaeology and War: the Australian dimension

I have commented earlier on the Shellal Mosaic. I have now received the booklet prepared for the Australian War Memorial by A. D. Trendall.

It includes other material collected by the senior Army chaplain, the Reverend William Maitland Woods. The items include three other mosaics from Syria (two reportedly from Homs). In addition there is a marble gravestone of Theosebes from Homs that was discovered in 1919.

The collection includes a funerary portrait from Palmyra that was part of the exchange for two Australian airmen, Lieutenant N. Hazelwood and Air Mechanic Edward Thomas Parr, who were detained in October 1918.

Excavations in time of war

I have been finishing a paper, "Excavating Under Gunfire: Archaeologists in the Aegean During the First World War", and raised a question on academia.edu about objects excavated on territory acquired from an enemy. I was pointed to a discussion of the Shellal Mosaic that was recovered by Australian troops during the second battle for Gaza; it was actually excavated by the senior Australian military chaplain (see here). There has been much discussion in the Australian and Israeli press: Andrew Taylor, "Questions raised over 'looted' mosaic", Sydney Morning Herald August 14, 2011; 'Removal of Gaza mosaic may constitute war crime', Jerusalem Post August 14, 2011. The mosaic now resides in the Australian War Memorial (here).

I have reviewed the initial publication report as well as viewed the photographs of the mosaic in situ. There is little to suggest that it was "plundered".

I find the legal musings a little misleading.

A leading legal expert said the removal of an antiquity was a crime under international law. 

''In a general sense [the soldiers] could be said to have violated the laws and customs of war,'' said Emeritus Professor Ben Boer from the University of Sydney's Law School. But Australia did not appear to be bound by these laws in April 1917, he added. 

Professor Boer also said international law did not require the Australian government to return the Shellal Mosaic to its rightful owner.

The further complexity is that the mosaic was excavated in territory that was then part of the Ottoman Empire.

Cultural Heritage in Wartime: summary

There was an extremely fruitful workshop on Archaeology and Cultural Heritage in Wartime in Swansea on Friday. Dr Laurie Rush reminded us of the key issues facing troops in action. Dr Charles Kirke placed us in a scenario in Central America where we had to plan a defence that would include archaeological sites of world heritage status. Dr Richard Osgood showed us the issues facing the MOD training grounds such as use of heavy equipment in wet weather.

More historical papers showed that the French army deployed an archaeological force at Gallipoli and in Macedonia, while the British adopted a more amateurish approach (Gill). Amara Thornton charted the development of archaeological services in the mandated territories of the Middle East following the First World War. Professor Carlotta Coccoli discussed the differences in protecting cultural heritage in Italy and Japan during the Second World War.  Dr Nigel Pollard considered the bombing in Pompeii in September 1943 against the background of the Salerno landings.

Dr Nigel Pollard should be thanked for organising such a profitable day.

Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Protection in Wartime

Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Protection in Wartime: 

Contemporary and Historical Perspectives

Callaghan Centre for the Study of Conflict/Research Institute for the Arts and Humanities, Swansea University, 20th May 2011


Introduction: Professor Nicola Cooper, Director, Callaghan Centre for the Study of Conflict, Swansea University

Session 1: Contemporary Approaches to Heritage Protection in Wartime

Richard Osgood (Defence Infrastructure Organisation, UK Ministry of Defence): 'The Contemporary Operating Environment: Cultural Heritage Protection and the British Army'

Laurie Rush (US Army): ‘Protecting the Past to Secure the Future; Heritage Training for Military Personnel’

Charles Kirke (Cranfield University): ‘The View from the Trench: Practical military considerations when Heritage meets War’

Session 2: Historical Approaches 1: War, Politics and Archaeology in the First World War

David Gill (Swansea): 'Excavating under Gunfire: Archaeologists in the Aegean during the First World War'

Amara Thornton (Institute of Archaeology, London): ‘A "Non-Political" Field? Archaeology in Palestine 1917-1926.’

Session 3: Historical Approaches 2: Heritage Protection in the Second World War

Carlotta Coccoli (Milan/Padova): ‘Allied Armies and Preservation of Architectural Heritage during the Second World War: The Cases of Italy and Japan’

Nigel Pollard (Swansea): ‘Methods, Weaknesses and Lessons to be Learned. The Allied Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Sub-Commission in World War Two’


Concluding Comments Dr Jonathan Dunnage, Swansea University


Participants:

Dr Carlotta Coccoli

Contract Professor of Principles of the Conservation Project of Historical Buildings (Polytechnic of Milan, 1st School of Architecture) AND Contract Professor of Architectural Restoration (University of Padova, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy)

Dr David Gill

Reader in Ancient History, Department of History and Classics, College of Arts and Humanities/Callaghan Centre for the Study of Conflict, Swansea University


Dr Charles Kirke

Lecturer, Military Anthropology and Human Factors, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham


Dr. Richard Osgood

Senior Historic Advisor, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, UK Ministry of Defence


Dr Nigel Pollard

Lecturer in Ancient History, Department of History and Classics, College of Arts and Humanities/Callaghan Centre for the Study of Conflict, Swansea University


Dr. Laurie Rush

US Army, Fort Drum (NY) and The American Academy in Rome


Amara Thornton

PhD candidate, Institute of Archaeology, University College London


The workshop is organised by Dr Nigel Pollard.