Aleksander Aleksic
Institute for Cultural Heritage Preservation Niš
Serbia has a very rich and diverse archaeological heritage due to its strategic geographical position. The Central Balkans is and always have been the easiest route connecting Europe, Asia Minor and the Middle East. From the Palaeolithic up until the modern day, there have been multiple examples of the migration of peoples, ideas and cultures passing through this region.
This unique geographical configuration remains relevant insofar as it also places Serbia along the illegal antiquities trade route leading from the Middle East or Asia Minor to the auction houses and antiquities collectors in Central and Western Europe. In an attempt to fight back against the trade, Serbia signed several agreements, including the UN Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Ownership of Cultural Property 1973 and the 2009 revised Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage of Europe (Valletta, 1992).
Both a country of transit as well as of origin for illegal trade in archaeological heritage
In terms of international illicit trade in antiquities and archaeological heritage, Serbia is considered a ‘transit country’. The same moniker is used to refer to the other types of international organized crime. Again, due to location, there are a variety of options for travelling in and out of Serbia; one can travel by land (motorways and railroad) or by air (including the busy airport in Nis conveniently placed near to the Bulgarian and Northern Macedonian borders).
At the same time, due to its rich and diverse archaeological heritage, Serbia is also considered a ‘country of origin’ in terms of the archaeological heritage subjected to local and international trafficking.
Illegal activities on excavations regarding cultural heritage trafficking
The activities of illegal metal detectorists exploded during the period of great political and economic crisis at the end of 20th century, becoming a real and present danger to cultural heritage. At present, metal detecting is becoming a serious and, unfortunately, profitable economic activity.
In order to put this into perspective in comparison with the status quo in other countries, it is important to understand that all archaeological heritage in the Republic of Serbia is owned by the state. Therefore, it is a crime to conduct archaeological excavations or collect archaeological heritage objects without an official permit issued by the Serbian Ministry of Culture. Legal punishments include fines as well as jail time.
Nevertheless, the organization of illegal excavations and surveys for the express purpose of obtaining archaeological heritage objects are very common, especially in the southern and eastern parts of Serbia. See Figure 4. The main goal of metal detectorists and ‘amateur archaeologists’ alike (both illegal without a permit, no matter what they are called) is to sell cultural objects for profit.
Figure 4. Illegal excavations at the site of Tumul, Kovanluk, Niš in 2009, Roman burial (photo by Zoran Radosavljević, courtesy of A. Aleksic)
If you actually break it down, in organizing illegal excavations a series of crimes are committed, beginning with the excavations themselves, the theft of state-owned goods, damaging cultural property, the illegal sale of stolen goods, the sale of stolen goods, etc.
Exporting cultural property and -heritage items is officially regulated and requires obtaining special permits. However, in practice, there are not many convictions. This is largely due to poor recognition of the significance and importance of archaeological heritage amongst police officers, prosecutors and judges.
It is very important to emphasize that most of metal-detectorists are organized in groups via internet platforms, social networks and forums for planning and sharing their activities, doubts, myths, ‘achievements’ and sales. They even use international platforms for the sale of archaeological heritage (e.g. eBay). See Figure 5.
Figure 5. Screenshot of sale platform Limundo showing a bronze socketed axe for sale at the top of the page. The suggested bidding price is 30,000 RSD (c. €250). A similar axe was seized in 2020 at the airport in Niš by Serbian border police. (Limundo sale announcements accessed in 2022 by the author)
In like fashion, those objects which they unearth are mailed to purchasers via the regular post. Furthermore, it is notable that the community has organized to such an extent that there are even international groups which make ‘orders’ in terms of the specific area or historical period from which particularly desired archaeological objects should be obtained.
Activities which focus on the creation of fakes purporting to be objects of archaeological heritage with the intent of making a profit from international online sale are also present. One addition related issue is the creation of false ‘buried treasure’ maps, which are also designated for sale.
All in all, there are numerous examples of cases in which archaeological heritage objects originating from Serbia have been illegally sold and been listed for sale via international auctions. Although rare, it is not uncommon to find instances in which members of the local population in rural areas work as guides for metal-detectorists. On the other hand, it must also be noted that, within more conservative local communities, illegal archaeological excavations tend not to be tolerated. Nevertheless, broadly speaking, the significance of archaeological heritage in the creation of local, national and global identity is not well recognized in Serbia. As the situation stands, it seems as if there are few (if any) metal-detectorists or ‘amateur archaeologists’ at large in Serbia who are more interested in academic or philanthropic ideas and motivations than in profit. No attempt has been made to organize a regulatory system for metal-detectorists. Shunting the responsibility for policing metal-detecting over to archaeological heritage protection groups (as is the case in many parts of Western and Central Europe) is doomed to fail, as Serbia has yet to formulate a solid recognition of the importance of archaeological heritage.
The struggle against illegal excavations and trade in archaeological heritage objects
The Serbian Archaeological Society struggles with this phenomenon on a daily basis. Its members (archaeologists working in public institutions for archaeological heritage protection and scientific institutions) do this by organizing lectures and courses on the subject of illegal activities for political decision-makers, citizens, police officers, prosecutors, and customs officers etc. Whenever there is news concerning an important archaeological object circulating amongst the metal-detectorist community, archaeologists try to publish the find in order to leave proof of said item’s origin. Most activities associated with the struggle against the destruction of archaeological heritage are supported by the Serbian Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture even has official UNESCO-supported programmes for the enabling and enrichment of inter-sector cooperation between institutions of archaeological heritage protection (museums and heritage institutes) with the police, customs officials and employees of the Prosecution Office, etc.
During the 2022 Ministry of Interior Affairs of Republic of Serbia, in cooperation with INTERPOL, formed a special police task force intended to combat ecological crime. Their specific mission is, inter alia, to combat illegal excavation activities and trade in archaeological heritage objects. Archaeologists have been placed high hopes on this newest special police task force! This also highlights the fact that the struggle against illegal trade of archaeological heritage cannot make strides without international cooperation.
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