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The World of Tuscan Tomb Robbers: Living with the Local Community and the Ancestors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 September 2010

Diura Thoden van Velzen
Diura Thoden van Velzen
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge, Dept. of Archaeology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3D2, England, Tel: 01223-333520
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Extract

Grave robbers, we all know, loot tombs for material gain. Recently, however, Italian tomb robbers, or tombaroli, have sought public attention by publishing their biographies and appearing on television to present an entirely new image of their métier. They depict themselves as heroes who bring the treasures of the past to the public and boast of an expertise, which remains unrecognised by official archaeologists. Rather than merely dismissing these stories as a justification, or glorification of an illegal activity, a more careful reading reveals many issues, which are of considerable importance to heritage management and archaeological research. These accounts contain a wealth of information on the identity of the people who loot tombs; their backgrounds, motivations and attempts to legitimate their actions. Moreover, they provide a unique insight into the relations between tomb robbers and the communities within which they operate. It is well known that public opinion in Italy and elsewhere to some extent sanctions illegal digging and, in my view, changing these attitudes could prove to be one of the most important steps towards a more effective policy of protecting the cultural patrimony.

Type
Articles
Information
International Journal of Cultural Property , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , January 1996 , pp. 111 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © International Cultural Property Society 1996

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