Under-employed archaeologists and under-policed borders in Turkey

Hyperallergic have just published my news report on cultural heritage workers’ imminent hunger strike in Turkey. It may not immediately appear to be a subject for Conflict Antiquities, but much of the trade in conflict antiquities from Syria and Iraq goes via Turkey, and Turkish police and customs agencies are committed to cutting that supply line, yet work-hungry antiquities specialists remain unemployed. Soon, I hope to bring out connections between archaeologists’ resistance, the Gezi Uprising and the policing of antiquities trafficking.

Tags: cultural heritage management, Iraq, paramilitary funding, Syria, Turkey