IAA antiquities amnesty update

A SUCCESS: New campaign to anonymously return illegally held antiquities nets thousands of items. 15% of public estimated to be holding antiquities in their homes that by law belong to the state; Israel Antiquities Authority’s collection drive extended another week (MELANIE LIDMAN, Times of Israel).

Thousands who were illegally holding antiquities in their homes returned the items during a two-week campaign this month, the Israel Antiquities Authority and Ministry of Heritage reported on Thursday.

The campaign — “If it’s old – return it with a click!” — encourages private citizens who have artifacts to report them online and return them anonymously and without questions.

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For the story of the returned late-antique anchor, see this Jerusalem Post article: Israeli returns 1,700-year-old anchor to Antiquities Authority after 26 years. This anchor, a rare find in the country, was recovered by a citizen named Moshe during a diving expedition off Palmahim Beach in 1996.

For background on the antiquities amnesty campaign, see here.

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