Association Internationale de Papyrologues

International Association of Papyrologists







Web resources on cultural property, Antiquities laws,

and related subject



1) UNESCO Cultural Heritage Laws Database ➡︎

This is a database of resources drawn from many countries and is the easiest route to discover for a given country what laws apply.


2) UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970) ➡︎

This is the fundamental document referred to in literature on cultural property, implemented in different fashions in various countries.


3) UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects ➡︎


4) Egyptian law 117 of 1983 (English translation) ➡︎


5) US Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act ➡︎

http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/97-446.html


6) US Code, Title 18, Section 2314 (National Stolen Property Act) ➡︎

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/18/parts/i/chapters/113/sections/section_2314.html


7) UK Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003 ➡︎


8) Interpol stolen works of art FAQ ➡︎


9) American Society of Papyrologists Resolution (adopted June, 2007) ➡︎

http://www.papyrology.org


10) The laws for various Middle Eastern/North African nations have now been posted ➡︎

http://tebtunis.berkeley.edu/laws/


11) Laws of European countries: 


Austria ➡︎

- 1999, Bundesgesetzblatt für die Republik Österreich (German) 


Belgium ➡︎

- 1999, Décret relatif à la conservation et à la protection du patrimoine. Livre III - Disposition relatives au patrimoine:

Titre 1er - Généralités

Titre II - De la protection, de la prévention, de la restauration

Titre III - Du petit patrimoine populaire

Titre IV - De l’archéologie

- 2003, Monuments, Sites et Patrimoine archéologique (French)


Denmark  ➡︎

- 2001, Museum Act N. 473 (English)

- 2001, Act N. 480 on listing buidlings and preservation of buildings and town environments (Danish)


Finland ➡︎

- 1999, Act on adopting certain regulations of the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 875/ 1999 (inter alia; English)

- 1999, Decree on Restrictions to the Export of Cultural Objects 189/ 1999 (English)

- 1999, Act on Restrictions to the Export of Cultural Objects 115/1999 (English)


France ➡︎

- 1997, Decree nº97-286, 25 March 1997, related to the Restitution of Cultural Property that have illicitly left the territory of an European Community State member (French)

- 1997, Decree nº97-435, 25 April 1997, on the convention concerning measures to be taken in order to prohibit illegal importation and exportation and illicit traffic of cultural properties (French)

- general information and links to more regulations: http://www.archeodroit.net/html/jdc_regl.html


Germany ➡︎

- general information: http://www.european-heritage.net/sdx/herein/national_heritage/voir.xsp?id=intro_DE_en

- other: “German Laws governing Cultural Heritage Protection”, List of Documents issued by the German National Committee for Monument Protection, Volume 54, 3. Edition, Bonn 1997, ISSN 0723-5747


Greece ➡︎

- 2002, On the Protection of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage in General (English)


Ireland ➡︎

- 1994, National Monuments (Amendment) Act (English; includes artefacts)


Italy ➡︎

- 2004, Legistlative Decree no. 42 of 22 January 2004 - Code of the Cultural and Landscape Heritage (English)


Luxembourg ➡︎

- 2004, Concernant l’Aménagement Communal et le Développement Urbain (French)


Netherlands ➡︎

- 1985, Cultural Heritage Preservation Act (English)

- 1988, Monuments and Historic Buildings Act (English):


Norway ➡︎

- 2002, Regulations on the Return of Stolen and Unlawfully Exported Cultural Objects (English)

- 2007, Regulations on the Export and Import of Cultural Objects (English)


Poland ➡︎

- 2003, the act of 23 July, 2003 on the protection of monuments and the guardianship of monuments (Journal of Laws No 162, Item 1568 with later additions)


Portugal ➡︎

- 1997, Decree law N. 164/97 on Underwater Archaeological Activity (Portuguese)

- 1999, Decree law N. 270/99 on Archeological Works (Portuguese)

- 2001, Law 107/01 on Cultural Heritage (Portuguese)

- 2006, Decree 19/2006 on classification of goods of national interest (Portuguese)


Spain ➡︎

- 1985, on the Spanish Historical Heritage (English):
http://www.unesco.org/culture/natlaws/media/pdf/spain/spa_law_16_1985_engtof.pdf

- 1991, ROYAL DECREE implementing the ninth additional provision of Law 16/1985, on State guarantee for works of cultural interest (English): http://www.unesco.org/culture/natlaws/media/pdf/spain/spa_royaldecree_1680_1991_engtof.pdf


Sweden ➡︎

- 1988, Heritage Conservation Act nº950 of 1988; (followed by) Regulations on permits for the export from Sweden of certain cultural older goods (English)


Switzerland ➡︎

- 2003, Federal Act on the International Transfer of Cultural Property (English)

- 2005, Ordinance on the International Transfer of Cultural Property (English)


United Kingdom ➡︎

- 1980, National Heritage Act (English)

- 1994, Return of Cultural Objects Regulations (English)

- 1995, Historic Monuments and Archeological Objects Order (Northern Ireland) (English)

- 2003, Export of Objects of Cultural Interest (Control) Order 2003 (English)

- 2003, Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003 (English)