« Taking it on the road | Main | Disney World: The "Train Wreck" of Anthropology »
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
More on the History of the World
One of the most interesting (and saddening) stories of the Iraq War has been the looting and decimation of Iraq's archaeological materials, much of which constitutes the history of civilization. The thought of loosing this history scares me more than anything and the future is not looking too bright. The truly sad thing is that looting of archaeological sites and museums is a crime perpetuated not only by a demand for exotic and beautiful pieces but the socioeconomic situation of the looters themselves. If you could steal an old beat-up vessel and sell it on the antiquities market and as a result feed your family for the rest of your life, you would be crazy not to take the opportunity. I believe there is a difference between unscrupulous antiquities collectors/traffickers and poor Iraqi citizens fatigued by the constant war, just looking to get by. Does it need to be stopped? Of course. But there will need to be many changes and much progress in Iraq before a dent is made in looting activity.
Posted by Will at November 9, 2005 08:07 AM in Anthropology