This year I am in the Central American jungle conducting fieldwork on artifact smuggling in Belize.
Culture crime news 30 June–06 July 2014
Posted on 7 July 2014
Hot this week: After over 40 years, and after some surprising plot twists, the Motunui panels returned to New Zealand.
Ransoms and Repatriations: the Maori Motunui panels
Posted on 5 July 2014
Hidden in 1800s by Māori fleeing war, 5 carved panels were smuggled
Maya artefacts and Mexican bandits: trafficking tall tales
Posted on 1 July 2014
A most unbelievable story of a looted (or fake) Maya book and mask.
Heading to Belize for preliminary fieldwork: a call for info
Posted on 30 June 2014
I’m heading to Belize to look into antiquities trafficking. Who who should I speak with?
Culture crime news 23–29 June 2014
Posted on 30 June 2014
Hot this week: The MFA Boston returns (a very small number of) objects to Nigeria.
Culture crime news 16–22 June 2014
Posted on 23 June 2014
Hot this week: Benin objects back to Nigeria (with a bit of argument)
Was the ancient Maya tomb of Copán’s first queen looted “to order”?
Posted on 21 June 2014
The looting of a spectacular Maya tomb only months after it appeared in National Geographic.
Culture crime news 9–15 June 2014
Posted on 16 June 2014
Hot this week: My research team featured in National Geographic!
Trafficking Culture in National Geographic
Posted on 14 June 2014
New Evidence Ties Illegal Antiquities Trade to Terrorism, Violent Crime, an article on the National Geographic
Culture crime news 2–8 June 2014
Posted on 9 June 2014
Hot this week: Ruling delays for the Fano Bronze/Getty Bronze/Victorious Youth.
Sacking the Necropolis: how 100 Peruvian mummy textiles ended up in Sweden
Posted on 9 June 2014
“Sweden Returns Ancient Andean Textiles to Peru“. Now that is a headline I like to see.