Cultural Property Protection in the Context of Military Operations: The Case of Uruk,Iraq

Abstract

This paper deals with the use of military or militarized experts for cultural property protection (CPP) during times of conflict. CPP activities generally take place within a juridical framework that gives obligations for all parties involved, primarily the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and attention is paid to various implications and challenges that occur when implementing military CPP obligations within this framework. To illustrate matters, the paper details a speci?c case study from the author’s own ?eld experience in the safeguarding of the archaeological site of Uruk in Iraq. Aspects, including economic, legal, ?nancial, and educational implications, are presented and these are especially relevant since they apply (to an extent) to other situations, such as the recent cultural disasters in Egypt, Libya, and Syria. The Uruk case study is used to suggest a number of key elements that are vital for the implementation of an effective CPP strategy in the context of military operations. Overall, the importance of international cooperation, training, and education, along with the assistance of civil reach-back capabilities, is emphasized. The paper argues that an effective way to protect Cultural Property during armed conflicts is through military channels and with military logistics and tools. To ful?l CPP in agreement with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) joint preparations in peacetime are necessary. The handover of military initiated CPP projects to civil authorities has to take place as soon as the situation permits. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations.     

湖南会战:中国军队对日军一号作战的回应

湖南会战是1944年“一号作战”中交战时间最长、国民政府军队抵抗最为顽强的一次战役。以湖南会战为个案,具体而微地剖析国民党军的战略决策机制、情报信息系统、官兵素质、后勤补给、兵役军纪以及民众动员等情形,也许有助于从军事史的层面加深或纠正我们对抗战正面战场的既有认知。     

Paros,Report II: The 1973 Campaign

Abstract

Paros is one of the most important islands of the Aegean sea, known best because of its white translucent marble. The island developed a very important school of sculpture from the Archaic to Roman times. An investigation of the island started in 1969, with the support of the Greek Archaeological Service, is centered on the ancient capital of Paros, which survives in the ruins of its ancient walls and an Archaic Ionic temple, and in the northern part of the island, where recent surveys and excavations have brought to light a significant number of sites, some of which go back to the Bronze and the Dark Ages of Greece.     

The Claudian Invasion Campaign Reconsidered

This paper attempts to build on Hind's hypothesis (1989) that the Roman invasion of AD 43 took place in Sussex, by examining the implications for the conquest campaign. It is suggested that the usual tactics of the Roman army and the size of the invading army are not consistent with the standard invasion campaign theory, in particular the events leading up to the so-called battle of the Medway. Other aspects of the evidence available to us are also inconsistent with the standard theory but can be explained in terms of a Sussex landing. The result is to offer further support for Hind's hypothesis.     

The Mining Industry's Campaign Against Native Title: Some Explanations

The mining industry has consistently maintained that 'native title' is a major impediment to mineral exploration and development and that it is a key factor in recent industry trends. Yet there is little evidence to justify these claims. This article suggests that this contradiction is less a reflection of ideological opposition to native title on the part of industry leaders than a case of political posturing aimed at ensuring that government policy better reflects mining interests. Government policy is an investment determinant over which the industry can exert some influence, unlike other determinants such as commodity prices and exchange rates. In addition to the industry's self-interest in pressuring government to circumscribe native title rights by overstating its detrimental economic impact, the peculiar intensity of the campaign is explained by its concerns about its role in the policy process, its popularity in the community and its comparative power as an interest group.