ATHAR Project

SOON: ‘Artifact War’ world premiere and best feature doc nominee at the @austinfilmfest. The film follows the work of @alazmamr @Adnan77227624 @AnthroPaulicy as they track trafficked Syrian antiquities from war zone looting sites to social media sites. youtu.be/dapILdUU6bk?fe…

More than 5 years ago, Facebook created a "policy" to ban the sale of artifacts. Today, we finally see the first Facebook antiquities trafficking group to reach more than 1 million members. Facebook's policies are nothing more than PR. There is no enforcement.

Chicago coin and antiquities dealer Harlan J Berk returns coins to US Navy that had been stolen from a shipwreck. Let’s hope the firm exercises the same due diligence on the antiquities it acquires from the developing world. wgntv.com/news/chicago-n…

"These virtual investigations led to the opening of new cases, demonstrating how digital platforms are quickly becoming a channel of choice by traffickers to market and sell looted artefacts. A total of 4,298 cultural goods were seized as a result of the cyber patrols."

"Authorities recovered 2,500 archaeological items, primarily Roman coins ... These artifacts had been looted from protected archaeological sites in the province of Caceres using metal detectors and were being sold illegally through social media platforms." interpol.int/en/News-and-Ev…

This month, the Bellingcat Open Source Challenge dives into the world of art, history and illicit trade. Can you spot the telltale signs of stolen cultural artifacts and trace who handled them in the past? Give this month’s Bellingcat Challenge a try! Challenge.bellingcat.com

@Aurelius161180 Latchford directly profited from Cambodia’s genocide. And while there is plenty of reporting to highlight this, it’s clear you’re not big on reading. So I’ll just leave this podcast here for you to listen to, should you decide to educate yourself. youtu.be/rEQztilmA-k?fe…

@ATHARProject This guy was a missionary who picked up material on his travels if memory serves back to the 1950s when laws were different. You are just showing how extreme your views are.

Contrary to what this antiquities market lobbyist claims, the State Department’s own fact sheet titles “100 Days of an America First State Department” considers its efforts on heritage in conflict zones very America First. state.gov/releases/2025/…

@Aurelius161180 It looks like you’ve been losing some clients - perhaps they haven’t been happy with the results of the poor trolling they’ve paid for 🤔

@Aurelius161180 Not defamatory when you have used this site to excuse the war crimes of an international trafficker because he was a “sick old man.” You have openly defended inexcusable trafficking. And let’s not forget, you’re PAID to do it. Pretty bad at trolling for a paid troll.

@Aurelius161180 We’re not a partisan organization, because the need to protect heritage and ensure that the US and American dealers are not a party to trafficking is not a partisan issue. If you want to make America great again you should stop shilling for those involved in trafficking 🙂

@ATHARProject We will see. It says nothing about US import restrictions, only law enforcement cooperation, which no one is against. The real issue is how they are enforced. Hopefully, the new Administration will take a close look at that. Good to know you are now MAGA! I've had my doubts!

@Aurelius161180 You insinuate that cultural property import restrictions “are not MAGA” I am pointing out that based on the State Department’s own statement regarding their America First policies, that they consider such import restrictions as America first, contrary to your claims.

@ATHARProject This post was about Lebanon, not Yemen. As to Yemen, you may want to read S.2066, a bill that Sen. Rubio cosponsored that would have ensured that would have applied CAFRA's burden of proof on the government to seizures on behalf of Yemen.

@alazmamr @newlinesmag @leonmccarron writes "While researching this story, I joined around a dozen Facebook treasure-hunting groups, some of which have upward of 500,000 members from Syria and elsewhere in the region"

ATHAR's @alazmamr tells @newlinesmag “The main take-home of this time is the phenomenal increase in material and activity in Syria," particularly for material trafficked online.

NEW: @leonmccarron speaks to ATHAR Peoject’s @alazmamr for @newlinesmag about the growing illicit antiquities trade in the new Syria 🧵 newlinesmag.com/reportage/trea…

Syria: the Defense Ministry thwarted an attempt to smuggle 2 artifacts from Palmyra out of the country. The 2 pieces - typical funerary portraits used to close burial niches - were taken to the local museum.

The #PeoplingPodcast is BACK! Today, to kick off Season 4, we are joined by Katie Paul to discuss the role of Facebook in the illicit antiquities trade, and how the company has been complicit in the sale and destruction of cultural heritage. Listen here: peoplingthepast.com/2025/04/29/pod…

EVENT | Documentary Screening: Artifact War Join us for "Artifact War," exploring ISIS's antiquities trafficking in Syria, followed by a panel with the filmmaker and other experts. 📅 Apr 4, 10:30AM-12:30PM 📍RSVP: wilsoncenter.org/event/document…

The incredible work of @CounteringCrime members @ATHARProject is now being featured in a documentary. Archeologists go undercover to save antiquities stolen by ISIS and sold on...wait for it...FACEBOOK. Check out the trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=sngcIg…

📷 A Visigothic silver medallion, dating between the 5th and 7th century CE, in circulation in New York with Phoenix Ancient Art is relinquished to Spain. art-crime.blogspot.com/2025/03/beller…