Unproven numbers distract from the actual hurt of the illicit antiquities commerce, says research

New analysis has confirmed that the generally repeated assertion that the illicit antiquities commerce is the third largest illicit commerce on the planet is unsupported by proof.

This factoid has been in circulation because the Seventies, and is usually repeated in educational articles, well-liked press and even coverage literature.

As such, it has largely been accepted to be true by students, most people and legislative our bodies.

“The declare that the illicit commerce in antiquities is the third largest, second solely to arms and narcotics, is broadly repeated,” state the authors, however “the declare will not be primarily based on any unique analysis or statistics, and it doesn’t originate with any competent authorities.”

To uncover the origins of this factoid, Drs Donna Yates and Neil Brodie, from the Trafficking Tradition analysis group, carried out a scientific examination of literature referring to the declare. Their outcomes are printed within the journal Antiquity.

The authors traced the factoid again to a observe within the Journal of Area Archaeology from 1974, during which it was claimed that worldwide site visitors in artwork was second solely to narcotics. Although that assertion was not substantiated with any proof, it was shortly repeated by others.

By the Nineteen Eighties, this factoid was embedded within the educational literature and within the well-liked press. It later transitioned from being listed because the second to the third largest discipline of worldwide crime after narcotics and arms—once more with no proof.

Importantly, the declare has since been made by influential worldwide organizations equivalent to UNESCO and Interpol. Because of this, it has had an influence on governmental organizations and coverage makers.

“Public understanding and coverage should be primarily based on proof, not rhetoric”, state the authors. “Good coverage can solely be developed from good analysis; whether it is primarily based on factoids and false data, it can not succeed.”

Unsubstantiated factoids shouldn’t affect the policy-making of main worldwide our bodies. It undermines the significance of actual information and probably results in ineffective measures being taken towards the illicit antiquities commerce.

It additionally units a harmful precedent for quantifying the injury legal exercise causes.

“The concept the severity of crime needs to be measured in comparative phrases by way of financial worth slightly than by way of harms to society is upsetting,” say the authors.

“Antiquities and different cultural objects are basic parts of our heritage and identification. We don’t must rank their illicit commerce financially to render the social harms extra damaging.”