Workshop: Illicit Antiquities Trade on Social Media

The looting and destruction of archaeological sites and museums in recent years gained considerable public attention. Contrary to popular belief the majority of looted artefacts are sold not on the dark web but on public websites like eBay or via social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp. The posts advertising antiquities are written in different languages often using abbreviations, slang and unusual/incorrect object descriptions. Many exchanges appear only in closed groups and every year new platforms arise. These factors altogether make it extremely difficult to find and collect the relevant data.

Bringing together the knowledge of archaeologists, criminologists, IT professionals and representatives of law enforcement, this full-day workshop will focus on the social context of antiquity trafficking, the tools to use for finding and analysing the trafficking data effectively, and how to keep pace with the ever changing platforms.

* Registration will take place from 8:30am *