IAA antiquites amnesty exceeds expectations

UPDATE: Israel’s Amnesty for Antiquities Looters Produces Treasures. The sarcophagus on the porch, an anchor, the army officer with glue, heaps of coins and jewels, grandkids with no appreciation of the finer things in ancient life: Here are some of the things the Antiquities Authority found when people were given a chance to hand over illegally taken artifacts from archaeological sites in Israel (Ruth Schuster, Haaretz).

“We received hundreds of inquiries from citizens and thousands of items were returned to the authority – among them large collections of interesting and special antiquities,” [IAA Director Eli] Escozido says by text. “To be honest, even we were amazed by the intensity of the response and the items that people kept in their homes.

“No less gratifying is the widespread response and the understanding that they must be returned to their rightful place. With us, in the state treasures, the sensitive items will be documented and preserved against the ravages of time. Some of them will go to exhibitions, and probably some of them, after research, will add information about the country’s past,” he says.

The amnesty is now over, but it seems to have been wildly successful. Background here and here.

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