Antiques Smuggling - Turkey

March 1997
With more ancient Greek settlements than Greece and more Roman ruins than Italy, Turkey is an archaeologist's treasure trove.... and a plunder's paradise.

A multi million dollar black market in antiquities threatens to rob Turkey of its heritage. The Lycian, Roman and Byzantine Empires have all left their mark on Turkey's red soil. Statues, coins and ornate tombs are seized upon by professional smugglers, shipped out the country and offloaded in Germany. Director of the anti-smuggling police unit explains, "this business is done by culturally under-developed people. The real point is to become rich quickly". He then estimates that his force intercepts over 95% of the artefacts. But in Mugla prison, we interview a notorious smuggler who confirms that the police claim is "impossible". He also maintains that many smuggled artefacts wind up in London auction houses, Christies and Sothebys. A white statue of Hercules exists in two parts. Poverty stricken farmers sell to the smugglers. During a flash flood, Adnan discovered an ancient tomb in his backyard and he admits that, "people ignore selling to museums because they pay you such little money".

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Turkey
• Antiques
• Smuggling
• ancient
• greek
• roman
• ruins
• culture
• mugla
• Journeyman
• Pictures
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman
• journeyman pictures

[aporia82]

there are many antiques smugglers on greece and italy too. it has nothing to do with being a member of culture or not , it makes good money with a small effort. besides turkey has many world-famous archeologists and museums, we keep our country's heritage as much as we are able to.

[schwebebahnable]

Hello!-- we don't all speak Turk tongue. Try interpreting the Turkish for us. Besides leaving your audience out in the cold, you disrespect the interview subject-- you ask them to share their opinion and then you keep it decoded from its intended audience? How does that make any sense? This is really basic Journeyman. Make this right.

[DivineNucleus]

BABS, please send Collin Finances ASAP! Binary spirit sent to serve Collin, get Collin the FINANCES and get Collin his POWERS back NOW! --

[retelas2]

Why should they return them? We will soon kick their arses back to Mongolia

[Thegormiti16]

obviously certain civilisations created masterpieces and other civilisations keep stealing culture since they can not equal it.. Then again everyone knows that modern structures and technology will not stand eternity like ancient art did..

[fabianogunes]

salak turkler sattiniz sattiniz simdide gotunuz tutustu yarrak kafalilar... devlet bunlar hep biliordu satan devletti zaten uyanin a.q. devlet elden gitmis

[Pan4osKipros]

i think its better to returned everything back to the greeks and italians..turkey has no ride on this masterpieces

[GaroArmen]

its not thier culture,so they should be returned

[csat35]

thats stupid, then the greeks should give there things to the romans, becasue they took it from the romans.

And the romans should givee it back to the egytians becasue it was theirs.....

Wars happen, i dont like the turkish government but the truth is, if country takes over, it has right over evertyhing inside.