Conflict, Looting, and The Market in Mesopotamian Antiquities

Antiquities make up a substantial portion of the international art market. However, issues of provenance, legality, and ownership, especially for antiquities originating in areas of current or previous conflict and political turmoil, require a careful study of this field. This paper focuses on a specific segment of the market: Mesopotamian antiquities from Iraq and Syria, which are brought back into the spotlight as a result of recent conflicts and the subsequent increase in the looting and destruction of archaeological sites and museums in the region. By studying both traditional auction catalogs and online auction sites, this paper examines trends in the international art market over the last 15 years regarding Mesopotamian antiquities, in an effort to understand demand, identify the types of objects and time periods that make up the largest market segments, and demonstrate how this demand drives looting and illegal trafficking of antiquities. One of the key findings of this research shows that the object types and time periods in highest demand on the market match on-the-ground observations regarding the types of archaeological sites in Iraq and Syria that have experienced heaviest looting. The paper also explores the effects of major political events in the recent history of Iraq and Syria on the international market in antiquities, starting with the invasion of Baghdad and the looting of the Baghdad Museum in 2003, and culminating with the Syrian Civil War and the catastrophic rise in the looting and destruction of archaeological sites in the region.