Mohamed Lazhar
Professor of archeology and heritage at Ibn Zohr University – Agadir
Three years after signing a bilateral agreement aimed at combating trafficking in cultural property, Morocco is asking the United States to review the terms of the protocol. Behind this request, a stated desire to protect threatened heritage and to strengthen international cooperation in the fight against archaeological looting.
Can you give us an idea of the volume and value of Moroccan archaeological objects that end up on the international black market?
Archaeological objects found on the international black market have more of a commercial value and not a scientific value since they are detached from their context by clandestine excavations.
Thus, if an archaeological object is not studied in its stratigraphic context, it can contribute little and loses its historical and cultural values. In addition to objects from clandestine excavations, some are only collected on the surface and sent outside the country.
Do we have precise figures on the trafficking of Moroccan cultural goods? Can we estimate how many objects are seized each year and what are the main destinations of these artifacts?
It is not easy to give a figure for the number of objects located outside the country, in the absence of a study on the subject.
On the other hand, what is important to say at this level is that each lost object is equivalent to a part of our memory which is also lost. Indeed, illicit trafficking is a major factor in the supply of the heritage of each country and by extension the identity of the same country. For the main destinations, there is a growing interest from both European and American continents in welcoming non-Western objects.
What are the challenges facing Morocco in the fight against archaeological looting and trafficking of cultural objects? Is this a problem that mainly affects certain regions of the country?
The problem of illicit trafficking of cultural property in Morocco can be explained by societal and legal reasons. From a societal point of view, wealth in the popular mind is linked to the discovery of treasures and this has increased clandestine excavations in search of gold and silver objects.
In addition, the sale of antique objects is a common practice in society, including the bazaar shops here. From a legal point of view, the legislative arsenal is being modernized so that it can respond to new challenges.
Concerning the situation in the different regions of Morocco, we can make distinctions between illicit trafficking in urban areas and in rural areas. In fact, the latter are more exposed to the loss of their goods at ridiculous prices.
Faiza Rhoul / ECO Inspirations
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