The evolving role of supplying looted antiquities through the use of technology: the Italian case

• In Event: Criminogenic Entanglements with Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Looters, whether operating underground or underwater, have preyed on the archaeological heritage of many countries for centuries. However, although this illicit activity has been documented for a long time, it was only in the second half of the 20th century that archaeologists began raising red flags, bringing greater attention to this crime. Academic literature on archaeological looting has been primarily developed by other disciplines, particularly archaeology. Although this trend is gradually shifting, criminological contributions to the field remain limited and tend to focus more on buyers than on suppliers of illicit antiquities. A significant gap in the literature is the analysis of how looters utilize the latest technologies. By examining the case of Italian looters (known as tombaroli), this study explores how technology has enabled looters to modify their methods and adopt new modi operandi. Drawing on a multidisciplinary body of literature on Italian archaeological looting, as well as interviews with looters, law enforcement officials, archaeologists, prosecutors, journalists, criminologists, among others, this study demonstrates that over time, looters have embraced increasingly modern techniques and technologies to expedite and enhance the efficiency of tomb excavations and the trafficking of looted artifacts. These findings, therefore, allow us to trace the evolution of looters in Italy.

Author

• Marc Balcells, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya