Hershel Shanks writes in his editorial for the Nov/Dec issue of Biblical Archaeology Review

Why don’t the archaeologists join the looters?

For the same reason that bank depositors don’t join the bank robbers and archaeologists don’t join the forgers: because it’s unethical. Shanks continues

The archaeological establishment’s principal suggestion that will supposedly stop the looting is—well, not to put too fine a point on it—stupid. “Don’t buy looted antiquities” is the strategy. Admittedly, if there were no market for looted antiquities, looting would stop. If the looters could not sell their loot, they would discontinue looting. But the only effect of this policy is to send the looted objects to buyers who will put the loot in their living rooms instead of in museums—so we, the public, will never see it.

Perhaps it would work if certain magazines didn’t place advertisements for looted antiquities in their pages for their readers to purchase? Then he takes aim at ASOR

The second strategy adopted by the archaeological establishment is even stupider: Forbid study by scholars of looted objects. This policy is not enunciated directly, but is carried out by scholarly organizations that will not allow articles about looted objects in their publications and will not allow papers on looted objects to be presented at their scholarly conferences.

‘Stupider’? That’s ’stupidest’. The fact is, ASOR was very careful in its evaluation of the problem and in the implementation of its policy. A magazine editor without training in the field has as much business advising the guild as, well, a magazine editor who has no training in archaeology has the right to give advice to a panel of archaeologists.

Shanks’ solution?

Compete with the looters. Professional archaeologists should professionally excavate areas subject to looting—and fund their excavations by selling the “loot.” After all, we are assured by Giorgio Gligoris, “profits are phenomenal.” The “loot” from these professional excavations must, of course, be available for study and publication. And we will always know where they are in an open market—just as we know about the location of a Renoir painting.

Um, I know this will sound strange, but archaeologists already excavate sites. And they don’t sell the booty to do it. This advice is simply appalling and it will not solve the problem- it will only create more looters. Which may be the goal after all. Since, as one and all know, the more looters, the more loot and the more loot, the more advertisement for loot and the more advertising dollars for magazines offering looted antiquities. Maybe he’s onto something after all… His advice, if followed, sure will be of aid to BAR.