Italy
U.S. Protection of Archaeological
Material Representing the Pre-Classical, Classical and Imperial Roman
Periods
I.
U.S. Actions
II. Background
III.
Categories of Artifacts Subject to Import Restriction
IV. Import Regulations
V. U.S.-Italy Long-term Loan Program
VI. For More Information
I. U.S. Actions
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On January
19, 2001, the Government of the United States of America and the
Government of the Republic of Italy signed an Agreement to protect
pre-Classical, Classical
and Imperial Roman archaeological material.
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On January
19, 2006, the governments of the United States and Italy exchanged
diplomatic notes extending the Memorandum of Understanding that
imposes US import restriction on pre-Classical, Classical and Imperial
Roman archaeological material from Italy.
II. Background
This U.S. action
is in response to a request from the Government of Italy under Article
9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing
the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
Reports from the Carabinieri Nucleo Tutela del Patrimonio Artistico
and in the Italian national and regional press indicate that looting
is a current and severe problem, particularly in southern Italy, Sicily,
and Etruria. The quantity
and nature of Italian archaeological material on the market further
indicate that the archaeological heritage of Italy is being pillaged
to meet the demand for U.S. and international trade in artifacts. The
Agreement offers the opportunity engage in a partnership to help protect
the cultural heritage of Italy and to enrich American cultural life
through research and educational programs and loans between Italian
and American institutions.
At a ceremony
in Washington, DC, Ambassador Ferdinando Salleo signed the Agreement
for Italy and Helena K. Finn, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for
Educational and Cultural Affairs, signed for the United States. “Italy's
rich archaeological heritage was a central influence in the development
of Western art and culture from the Renaissance to modern day,” said
Dr. Finn. “The bilateral accord represents one way of expressing our
respect for the gravity of the problem of archaeological looting, which,
despite Italy's role as a modern nation state, continues to cause destruction
and loss at many national monuments. These are sites of cultural significance
not just to Italy but also to the entire world. Italy is one of the
world's cultural treasures, and it behooves us all to safeguard it.”
III.
Categories of Artifacts Subject to Import Restriction
A complete
list is published in the Federal Register notice of January 23,
2001. An illustrated list is available in the Italy
Image Collection.
Restricted
artifacts range in date from approximately the 9th c. B.C. to the 4th
c. A.D. Categories include stone, metal and ceramic sculpture; decorated
vessels in metal and ceramic; metal jewelry; weapons and armor, and
inscribed metal sheets; glass mosaic and sculpture; and wall painting.
IV. Import
Regulations
Objects listed
in the Federal Register notice may enter the U.S. if they have
an export permit issued by Italy or verifiable documentation that they
left Italy prior to the effective date of the restriction: January 23,
2001.
V. U.S.-Italy
Long-term Loan Program
Article II
of the agreement between the U.S. and Italy contains a number of provisions
to strengthen the protection of archaeological sites, promote scholarship
and scientific research, and encourage broader access to Italian archaeological
materials for the American public. U.S. museums and other institutions
are encouraged to participate in the US-Italy long-term loan program.
Such projects might include:
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scientific
and technological analysis of materials and conservation of materials;
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comparison
for study purposes in the field of art history and other humanistic
and academic disciplines with material already held in American
museums or institutions;
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or
educational presentations of special themes between various museums
or academic institutions.
Guidelines for the
Loans of Archaeological Material Under the 2001 U.S.-Italy Memorandum
of Understanding.
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Created
in collaboration with the Direzione Generale per i Beni Archeologici,
the guidelines are available in English
and Italian.
Integrated Project Italy-USA
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Twenty-two exhibits and other projects offered to
U.S. institutions under the auspices of the
Direzione
Generale per i Beni Archeologici. The project descriptions
are available in English and Italian.
From October 19 to November
2, 2002, a group of Italian museum curators and archaeologists traveled
in the U.S. under the auspices of the U.S. State Department Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs Voluntary Visitor Program. During
this period they met with their U.S. counterparts during museum visits
and roundtable discussions in Baltimore, Chicago and New York to learn
more about U.S. museums and the possibility of making long-term loans
to U.S. institutions under Article II of the 2001 U.S.-Italy MOU.
For more information regarding the results of the roundtable discussions,
please contact the Cultural Property Office, (202) 619-6612, culprop@pd.state.gov.
