Cultural Heritage

[TomGoodheart]

I recently came across an article mentioning the recent (13 July 07) US Department of State ban on imports of ancient coins from Cyprus or "coins of Cypriot types" which presumably also includes Crusader issues and some Roman coins as well as the more obvious issies..

The basic argument is that removal of ancient coins from archaeological sites is effectively 'cultural looting'. A corresponding implication is that the majority of ancient coins on the market have been illegally removed from their countries of origin in recent years (ie since the UNESCO ruling in 1970 (Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970))

In the US at least, battle lines appear to have been drawn between the 'numismatic' view and that of some archaeologists.

Now my first thoughts are that the system in Britain (where the Portable Antiquities scheme and find laws apply) are different and also that some coins here have been circulated amongst collectors for several hundred years many with well known 'pedigrees' and provenance. Should these therefore be viewed differently? Or like the 'Elgin' marbles, be returned to their 'homeland'?

Anybody got any strong views? Just curious!

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[scottishmoney]

The problem with the USA ruling is that just about anything even so remotely linked to Cyprus falls under the ban. So by that measure Roman coins dug up in Italy, but Cyprus says they also circulated there, fall under the ban.