Stolen Artifacts from Syria Found for Sale on Facebook's Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace Facilitates Illicit Trade of Syrian Artifacts
The trafficking of Syrian antiquities, many looted from sites like Palmyra amid ongoing conflict, has been increasingly visible on Facebook Marketplace and other social media platforms. Private groups on Facebook have been criticized for allowing the trade of stolen artifacts with minimal intervention, thus fueling the black market in cultural heritage goods.
Palmyra, an ancient city along the Silk Road dating back to the 3rd century BCE and a UNESCO World Heritage site, contains countless invaluable artifacts such as statues and mosaics. In 2015, the city was heavily damaged by militants who blew up some of these ancient sites while they were under Islamic State control.
The Syrian government has tried to combat looting by threatening jail sentences of up to 15 years and offering finder's fees for turned-in artifacts. However, the fall of the Assad regime in December led to a significant increase in looting activities in Syria. The Antiquities Trafficking and Heritage Anthropology Research (ATHAR) Project reported a surge in looting cases in December, accounting for nearly one third of its total Syrian cases.
Sizable groups on Facebook Marketplace range from 100,000 to 900,000 people, providing a large audience for the sale of looted antiquities. Despite Facebook's policy, the enforcement is not strong enough to deter looters from risking transactions on the platform. The speed of sales of trafficked goods has increased significantly, with mosaics being sold in as little as two weeks.
Thieves are reportedly robbing graves in Palmyra and other cities. Amr al-Azm, a professor at Shawnee State University, stated that there was a breakdown of any constraints on looting that existed during the regime periods. ATHAR's database includes over 26,000 screenshots, videos, and images of looted antiquities since 2012.
Meanwhile, rescue operations continue to safeguard recovered pieces from permanent loss. Over the past decade, NGOs and archaeologists have secretly rescued thousands of artifacts from conflict zones, like northeast Syria, safely relocating about 7,400 pieces from vulnerable dig sites to secure locations such as Rmelan for eventual museum transfer. These artifacts span ancient civilizations from the eighth millennium BC to the Islamic period, showcasing Syria’s rich cultural history.
In summary, the looting of Syrian artifacts facilitated by Facebook Marketplace challenges historical artifact bans and hampers cultural heritage preservation. The need for stricter online regulations, improved platform accountability, and strengthened collaboration between NGOs, governments, and technology companies is highlighted. Efforts to protect Syrian heritage continue, but the dispersed and anonymous nature of online markets complicates oversight and recovery efforts.
- The illicit trade of Syrian artifacts, consisting of priceless artifacts like statues and mosaics from ancient cities such as Palmyra, is flourishing on social media platforms, particularly Facebook Marketplace.
- Despite Facebook's policy against the trade of stolen artifacts, lax enforcement has allowed these platforms to serve as a breeding ground for education-and-self-development, entertainment, as well as political discussion, where looted antiquities are sold inconspicuously.
- The surge in looting activities in Syria, exacerbated by the fall of the Assad regime, has led to a proliferation of these antiquities on social media, with sizable groups on Facebook Marketplace of up to 900,000 people catering to this illicit trade.
- The impact of this online trade on cultural heritage preservation is far-reaching, as it undermines efforts in fields like art, education-and-self-development, and general-news, impeding the celebration and protection of Syria's rich cultural history.
