An unprecedented international agreement to combat the destruction of the archaeological record and the depredations caused by looting and the illegal trade in undocumented antiquities was signed at the Annual Meeting by the AIA, German Archaeological Institute, and the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Patty Gerstenblith, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation
Patty Gerstenblith, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation
As President of the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA), I am writing to express my strong support on behalf of the AIA for the request by the Government of Cyprus to renew the U.S.-Cyprus MOU imposing import restrictions on Classical and Pre-Classical archaeological materials and on Byzantine ecclesiastical material from Cyprus under Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention.
The Archaeological Institute of America congratulates the J. Paul Getty Museum for its recent decision to strengthen its acquisition policies for works of art including ancient art and archaeological materials.
The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) deplore the loss of innocent life in northern Israel and Lebanon and profoundly wish for a quick resolution of the armed hostilities in the area.
A proposed amendment to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), now under consideration by Congress, may jeopardize the protected status of as yet undiscovered archaeological sites.
In response to the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) new guidelines on the loan of archaeological artifacts and ancient artworks, the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) today issued a statement pointing out its shortcomings and proposed a set of principles for future acquisitions or loans of antiquities by American museums.
The deadline to submit letters in support of H.R. 915 has now passed. All letters submitted both in support and against the Bill are available online at: http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=comment&hearing=440.
The public hearing of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee on the renewal of the U.S.-Italy bilateral agreement took place in Washington D.C. on September 8, 200. AIA President Jane Waldbaum and Vice President for Professional Responsibilities, Malcolm Bell, III both attended and presented testimony on behalf of renewal. Links to PDFs of their letters to the committee are posted below.
