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12/31/1986 - A Modern Cult of Relics by Neil A. Silberman

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENTWORLD AFFAIRS NAS ishay St A Modern Cult Relics Abu Tor Jerusalem Israel December Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs West Wheelock St Hanover New Hampshire USA Dear Peter If piece history Israel place The licensed antiquities shops conveniently located hotels tourist centers throughout country offer genuine archaeological artifacts every pocketbook For about King David small bronze Jesus ancient jewelry painted pottery vessels marble statues considerably Some impressively mounted olive display stands others neatly encased Plexiqlas But their price packaging antiquities among popular souvenirs They offer visitors Israel often irresistable oppor tunity tangible token biblical This situation presents sharp contrast other tries region where archaeological remains plentiful Greece longstanding campaign regain possession Elgin Marbles British Museum prohibition antiqui export patriotic policy Turkey baggage searches tourists leaving country ominous signs archaeological sites further forcement measures And Egypt plundered western visitors search pharaonic knick knacks making attempt outward relics decision comes hundred years In recent decades issue private antiquities dealing export become matter concern archaeologists world As early response reports widespread illicit digging saleable artifacts resultant destruction archae ological sites countries members UNESCO drafted adopted international convention aimed discouraging profit trade cultural property That struggle difficult achieved something total success But larger ethical issue stake least clear archaeological condone largescale trade antiquities obtained tionable unknown sources condone unrestricted plunder world cultural heritage The State Israel faces uncomfortable dilemma regard Nell Silberman Institute Fellow studying political tural impact current archaeological research Middle East NAS private antiquities dealing because ancient tifacts tourists brings substantial foreign exchange revenues every The image rebirth modern nation ancient important symbolic expression Israel identity existence every ancient artifact bought sented foreign visitor message succinctly conveyed And matter tourists romantic juxtaposition present encouraged highest levels government Margaret Thatcher official visit May clearly touched receive Bronze Age Canaanite scimi Speaker Knesset Iron Age Israelite Prime Minister Peres No concerned where those diplomatic gifts chances Purchased licensed antiquities dealers probably passed through hands several middlemen rising value since their discovery anonymous peasant stumble ancient And since several hundred tombs throughout country opened plundered every iquities market understand number Israeli archaeologists embarked outspoken campaign change country antiquities The Emperor Constantine really guilty party recognized Christianity accepted religion Roman Empire early century AD small province Palaestina became Holy Land enormous faithful ancient remains imbued corresponding holiness The Jews course centuries special devotion country manifested their recitation national history their custom pilgrimage For Christians history pilgrimage continued important overlaid devotion tangible relics Bones saints garments shrouds New Testament figures cross which Jesus crucified discovered bought highly prized their spiritual healing By century export translation relics Holy Land reached enormous proportions Bones stones ancient linen became objects devotion churches wealthy homes throughout Europe And pieces precious relic True Cross carried afield Italy North Africa Asia Minor Gaul To large extent international market relics encour church officials became important source revenue monastic religious establishments Holy Land There wider political significance popularity relics reinforced prestige influence Palestine theological controversies became matters state Byzantine Empire But scale export eventually created problem NAS Holy Land easily renewable resource Even True Cross itself dependable source sacred splinters beginning substance beginning century Since export power brought unthinkable bishop Jerusalem wisely proclaimed miracle True Cross reported faithful wondrous capacity regenerating itself Whatever historical comparison between Byzantine relics modern antiquities market talking about culous regeneration Israel these For staff members Department Antiquities concerned protection archae ological sites damage passed point crisis Whole districts particularly West Bank ravaged Caves settlement sites cemeteries systematically plundered saleable artifacts yield Additional funds recently available Depart Antiquities ambitious enforcement campaign Intensive patrols archaeological sites resulted arrest antiquities robbers though risks mouse becoming increasingly Violence always danger group illicit diggers cornered underground middle night Picks shovels easily become weapons someone livelihood stake During years heightened involvement Department Antiquities attempt prevent illegal excavation officers learned great about mechanics antiquities trade In areas activity coordinated local middlemen aware which types artifacts currently popular hiring gangs laborers attack specific sites The trail leads cities sometimes filled ancient pottery Department Antiquities discovered where delivered antiquities shops The licensed antiquities dealers country least legally prohibited obtaining merchandise illicit sources those objects already private collections permitted The dealers required maintain detailed inventory their merchandise record source which obtained But enough falsify record merely claim newly obtained antiquities private hands decades Since there detailed private collections country previous ownership impossible disprove That dedicated officers Department Antiquities dealing symptoms larger problem their arrest occasional conviction antiquities thieves As guest Tel Aviv Hilton transit passenger browsing airport cient souvenir Israel money sulting purchases continue destroy count archaeological heritage NAS The members governing archaeological activity Israel Archaeological Council placed difficult sition their colleagues A growing number archaeologists demanding country antiquities shops closed But Archaeological Council legally empowered advise Minister Education archaeological policy hesitant matter Its members drawn universities museums public institutions represent spectrum interests which strictly speaking scholarly Some interests personal number members Council helped their careers being given permission publish especially important artifacts private collections Other interests professional representatives Israel seums naturally interested encouraging continued donation ancient objects private factors Over years therefore quiet relationship developed between collectors dealers archaeological establishment Many illicitly cavated artifacts available study exhibition little investigation their source And Archaeologi Council repeatedly vetoed proposed changes antiqui Last spring force public opinion finally upset rangement The controversy surrounding Israel Museum purchase Dayan Collection provided springboard action As I wrote group young Israeli archaeologists organized public campaign protest official legitimization relicology called clearly typified defense minister questionable financial dealing antiquities clearly illegal artifact hunting Their boycott picketing opening Dayan Col lection received media attentio their crusade against quities dealing Israel there In following months succeeded convincing majority their colleagues great being ancient remains country sheer scale antiquities trade They circulated petitions lobbied politicians finally achieved through force pressure moralizing never This summer Archaeolo gical Council meeting resolution passed recommending export antiquities Israel banned With legislative machinery motion Tak Archaeological Council Minister Education instructed legal counsel begin drafting Hearings scheduled Knesset younger archaeologists savored their triumph future country antiquities dealers looked bleak Unfortunately would reformers failed realize there issue archaeological preservation The export antiquities definite social function NAS modern Israel And principal their opponents mounted counterattack The preliminary hearing Knesset Education Committee legislation something disaster least reformers point First representatives Department Antiquities Association Archaeologists Israel presented their familiar litany reports destroyed sites fears future country ancient heritage But after finished committee members heard equally emotional One senior curators Israel Museum expressed belief quities trading would itself considerable damage As antiquities shops subject government supervision argued there least possibility archaeologists would aware discoverie What about Dead Sea Scrolls They purchased illegal diggers Was wrong every effort obtain museum scholarly world Antiquities trading curator contended impossible eradicate countries draconian antiquities If shops Israel closed legal order warned trading would merely tinue underground In weeks followed hearing several prominent public figures proclaimed their strong opposition change quities The Archaeological Council imous three Council known members Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek Haifa industrialist Reuben Hecht former Su preme Court judge Haim Etzioni private antiquities lectors weight their prestige maintenance archaeological status Mayor Kollek particular never known political fistfight position chairman board directors Israel Museum always viewed archaeological reformers disdain Last spring opening Dayan Col lection characterized their protests yapping small Now threat serious attack In published interview forth counter proposal thing everyone latest instead prohibiting tiquities dealing State Israel should become antiquities dealer itself By placing thousands duplicate pottery vessels storerooms Department Antiquities could Kollek believes achieve three valuable objectives The massive influx facts world market would according mayor stimulate ternational interest archaeology Israel lower market prices point present robbing would unprof itable ovide source funding preservation NAS protection archaeological remains This proposal obviously raises troubling ethical issues since questionable government employees right dispose national cultural property determine going price But rightly recog nized tactical manuever political observers Kollek taken direct approach heading change antiquities His personal intervention friend itzhak Navon Minister Education resulted sudden suspension legislative process The ministry counsel instructed least being drafting antiquities lations And support Hecht Etzioni virtually country museum curators Kollek called meeting Archaeological Council reconsider previous The issue still settled future antiqui trade Israel unclear For despite continuing pressure archaeological reformers veneration relics mains modern Israeli scene And current contro versy shown really stake dispute proper present whether antiquities should viewed precious finite resource whether bones shrouds True Cross Byzantine period their usefulness widely dispersed Best Regards Received Hanover