7/30/2023 0 Comments Papyrus bookTheir removal is considered illicit by the 1970 UNESCO Convention, and therefore would be subject to repatriation and return if their provenance is discovered. For example, numerous papyrus objects along with other Ancient Egyptian artifacts were removed from Egypt during the uprisings of the Arab Spring, many of which have been surfacing in auctions and collections over the past decade and into the present. However, pre-1972 antiquities and artifacts have already made their way into collections both public and private across the world, and many continue to circulate on the art market to this day.Ī number of ongoing conflicts in the regions associated with historical papyrus production have also contributed to circumstances that allow artifacts to be illicitly removed from their country of origin. These practices were prohibited in the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 1970, which went into force in 1972, meaning that the illicit looting or removal of cultural artifacts from their country of origin after 1972 is strictly prohibited. ![]() Looting has also been practiced for centuries by invading and colonizing forces who remove cultural property as spoils of war. ![]() In many instances the looting of these sites is done by local inhabitants, some of whom rely on selling looted artifacts into the “grey” antiquities market as a form of subsistence income. “Looting” here refers to the illicit removal of artifacts from cultural and/or archaeological sites, including places of worship, active dig sites, and previously undisturbed sites. Papyrus artifacts primarily originate from Egypt and spread throughout the ancient civilizations surrounding the Mediterranean and into the Middle East, areas which have historically been the site of extensive colonial conflict and subsequent looting. The sheer age of many ancient papyrus objects can mean thousands of years of time that needs to be accounted for, during which time the object may have been buried at an archaeological site, or have changed hands many times. Papyrus artifacts pose a challenge to provenance investigators due to several factors. This is especially pertinent in the case of ancient and/or archaeological artifacts, due to the thriving market in antiquities that results in illegal excavations, looting of archaeological sites, illicit international trafficking, theft, and forgery. Gaps in the chain, whether through missing documentation, opacity of sales, or lack of archaeological findspot, can indicate larger issues with the authenticity or licit status of the object. all the way up to the current owner or seller. A well-documented provenance should behave much like a “chain of custody” in the case of ancient artifacts, this includes clear evidence of documented archaeological discovery, acquisition, sales, subsequent purchases, etc. ![]() It is instrumental in establishing how and when an object changed hands throughout its life, which makes provenance a key resource for authentication purposes. The Importance of Provenance Īn object’s “provenance” refers to an object’s history of ownership from the point of its creation and/or archaeological discovery through to its present day owner. 4.2 Consolidation, cleaning, and repair.
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