AMMAN — The illicit trafficking of cultural property is a multibillion-dollar transnational crime involving the theft, looting, smuggling and illegal sale of artefacts, antiquities and shared cultural heritage, according to the Department of Antiquities (DoA). 

 

Jordan combats the illicit trafficking of cultural property through strict domestic legislation, border control measures and extensive bilateral cooperation with other countries, the DoA said.

 

Yarmouk University Professor Omar Ghul said that the continued military conflicts and political instability in the Middle East have created fertile ground for the illicit trafficking of cultural property,, adding that Jordan faces persistent threats from illegal excavations, smuggling and the regional laundering of looted antiquities.

 

In September 2024, the US State Department awarded the American Centre of Research (ACOR) in Amman a Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant aimed at combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property in Jordan.

 

During a workshop organised by ACOR, the DoA and the Jordan Customs Department (JCD), DoA Director General Fawzi Abudanah said, “Raising awareness among local communities about protecting and safeguarding Jordanian cultural heritage is one of the main goals of such initiatives.”

 

ACOR Director Pearce Paul Creasman said that the three institutions had been collaborating for years to address the illicit trafficking of archaeological objects and cultural heritage items.

 

“Today, we are starting to see some immense results, and we are happy to share them with you and discuss how we can work together through this workshop to make more progress in this fight,” Creasman said.

 

ACOR is a non-profit organisation based in Jordan, he said, adding, “We are grateful for your engagement and want to see a collective future and effort.”

 

ACOR Deputy Director John Shearman highlighted the importance of coordination and cooperation among the various authorities involved in combating illicit trafficking.

 

“The DoA and the JCD have worked together, and we hope they will be able to sign a memorandum between the two parties,” Shearman said, noting that cooperation also extends to other countries involved in efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

 

To help combat the smuggling of artefacts across borders, a database has been established to document archaeological objects, ACOR Project Director Matthew Vincent said, stressing that without registered objects in the database, there is no lawful basis for establishing their provenance.

 

The database also serves as a research tool containing information about archaeological artefacts. “Jordanian law says that all antiquities belong to the state,” Vincent said, adding that small incense flasks from Petra can fetch around JD250 outside Jordan if smuggled.

 

The project aims to list all items in the national inventory, including objects held in private collections.

 

Information on where an item was excavated and how it was obtained should also be recorded, Vincent said, noting that the database can serve as a research tool for studying archaeological objects and establishing their provenance.