[CPProt.net] Macedonia: Experts voice alarm at the brisk trade in looted archaeological finds, which flourishes because of lack of funds and protection.

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

WELCOME TO IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, No. 575, September 16, 2005

The Balkan Crisis Report is produced through a partnership between IWPR and
the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN.

TOMB RAIDERS STRIKE GOLD IN MACEDONIA

Experts voice alarm at the brisk trade in looted archaeological finds, which
flourishes because of lack of funds and protection.   

By Vlado Apostolov and Kristina Nikolovska in Skopje (BCR No 575, 16-Sep-05)

Macedonian archaeologists are voicing growing fears that much of the
country's buried treasure is being smuggled out of the country owing to poor
protection of sites and limited resources. Customs officers recently seized
more than 50 coins dating from the second century BC on the Tabanovce border
crossing with Serbia. But most analysts believe customs and police are
failing to halt the illegal removal of significant volumes of artefacts.
Ilce Bojcevski, of the Directorate for Protection of Cultural Heritage, says
illegal excavation has reached alarming proportions. He illustrates that by
recalling the recovery between 1995 and 2003 of some 2,500 artefacts stolen
from the site of Isar Marvinci, an Iron-Age town and necropolis in southeast
Macedonia. "What is truly terrifying is that we have no idea about the
number of artefacts that were stolen and never found from this site," said
Bojcevski. Dragi Mitrevski, an archaeology professor at Skopje University,
shares his concern. "An optimistic estimate would be that the ratio of
artefacts that are found to those that leave the country is one to ten," he
said. Another archaeologist, Viktor Lilcic, said. "I think that of the 5,000
sites in the country there isn't one that illegal excavators haven't
attacked." The thieves target sites containing jewellery and coins from the
seventh to the first century BC. Iron-Age objects known as Macedonian bronze
are the most sought after. "Macedonian bronze is quite famous in the world
and can reach high prices on the black market," said police inspector Dragi
Nestorovski. "Even the smallest piece can get 1,000 euro." Professor
Mitrevski says the illegal excavation and smuggling of cultural treasures is
undermining Macedonia`s history, as many experts say the Iron Age provides
proof of cultural continuity between ancient and modern Macedonia.  "The
Iron Age is the key page of Macedonia's history," he said. Nestorovski
agrees. "Destroying and stealing artefacts works in favour of those who deny
the existence of the Macedonian people and culture," he said. The policeman
added that people from many countries were involved in this activity and
that the interior ministry had filed charges against Greeks, Serbs and
citizens of other states. At the same time, Nestorovski said the state was
limited in the action it could take to halt this illegal trade. "Even if we
find illegal excavators digging on a site we can do nothing unless we find
them with a stolen artefact in their hands," he told Balkan Crisis Report,
BCR. The lack of funds to properly protect archaeological sites has
undoubtedly lured would-be smugglers to Macedonia.      
Boban Husenovski, of the Archaeological Museum in Gevgelija, in southern
Macedonia, said the relevant institutions were understaffed and lack
technical equipment. "The illegal excavators have electronic equipment and
metal detectors," he said. "With the equipment they have - we are six steps
behind them." Husenovski told BCR that his museum had only two
archaeologists on its staff and one car. "Physically we can't be present at
all the sites that thieves might target," he said.  In fact, professional
archaeologists serve as unwitting guides for the thieves, alerting them to
the existence of new sites. "Basically we pave the way for the excavators,"
lamented one archaeologist. "Once we start our research at a particular
site, they know where to go." Milan Ivanovski, of the State Bureau for
Protection of Cultural Monuments, says illegal excavation has been a serious
problem in Macedonia since independence in 1991. Ivanovski says the
excavators are often locals hired by the museums for official research. They
sell their finds through intermediaries to collectors. "The artefacts reach
high prices in Europe but once out of the country there is little we can
do," said Bojcevski, whose bureau has no funds to monitor auctions where
these artefacts are usually sold.  Nor can they rely on help from foreign
museums, where these objects often end up. "Cases of museums abroad
informing us that they have come into possession of Macedonian artefacts are
extremely rare," continued Bojcevski. Nikos Causidis, archaeology professor
at Skopje University, points out that Macedonia's neighbours have helped
themselves to the country's treasures for generations. "Sofia museum still
displays two gold masks and other objects dating from the sixth to fifth
century BC that were taken during the First World War," he remarked.
"Belgrade museum has gold objects from the same site."  Causidis said the
government has done too little to ensure the return of these treasures, even
though it has every right to take action under international conventions.
"The way we treat our cultural treasure is a sign of the maturity of the
state," he said. "Macedonia must stop treating this problem as marginal." 

Vlado Apostolov and Kristina Nikolovska are IWPR/BIRN trainees.

 

 

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