Austerity’s Cost: Archaeological Sites Plundered

The BBC, in an article written by Theopi Skarlatos, has drawn attention to one of the least known collateral damages of the economic crisis in Greece: theft of archaeological treasures and unlawful antiquity trading.

According to police reports, it has risen by 30 percent since the crisis broke out in 2009. In the article, Detective Georgios Tsoukalis, head of many police operations against antiquities smugglers, said the biggest buyers of the stolen good are the Russians, Chinese and Latin Americans.

“In the last few years with the crisis, people who have reached their limits have become more easily tempted. They are more likely to either sell antiquities in their possession or search for them in abandoned excavation sites, in order to sell what they find to dealers who take them abroad,” he said.

“We’ve tracked down ancient Greek antiquities as far away as Colombia – in the hands of drug dealers,” he added. The BBC pointed out the inadequate protection of archaeological and excavation sites, which makes it easier for people to steal and sell on artifacts.

Despina Koutsoumba, of the Association of Greek Archaeologists, told BBC: “How can he do his job properly? Things are being stolen all the time. Only recently a man was arrested and caught with a Macedonian tomb – and inside the entire warrior’s outfit. We didn’t even know it existed until the man who took it was arrested.”

In December 2012, Greek Finance Ministry took control of the archaeological fund containing all the profits from museum ticket sales, a budget that reaches 2 million euros and kept the money without diverting it back to the museums for operations, administration and security.

“We have not seen this money since December last year and this money is needed to keep our museums running properly. Not only can we not afford toilet paper and petrol for our drivers, but we haven’t been able to pay our electricity, water and phone bills, since last year,” Koutsoumba added.