Ancient artifacts are not ordinary secondhand goods. Their archaeological context, lawful movement, ownership history and physical stability can be more important than immediate market appeal.
1. Require pre-conflict provenance
Require pre-conflict provenance should be documented against the exact physical object, likely source jurisdiction, ownership timeline and conservation condition. Record uncertainty rather than replacing it with a confident market phrase.
2. Check restrictions
Check restrictions should be documented against the exact physical object, likely source jurisdiction, ownership timeline and conservation condition. Record uncertainty rather than replacing it with a confident market phrase.
3. Use Red Lists
Use Red Lists should be documented against the exact physical object, likely source jurisdiction, ownership timeline and conservation condition. Record uncertainty rather than replacing it with a confident market phrase.
4. Avoid anonymous routes
Avoid anonymous routes should be documented against the exact physical object, likely source jurisdiction, ownership timeline and conservation condition. Record uncertainty rather than replacing it with a confident market phrase.