Looting is the theft of valuable or culturally significant items during disasters, wars, and unrest. It differs from scavenging, which is for survival. Looting has occurred throughout history and can involve stealing from museums and archaeological sites. International tribunals hear cases involving looting, and measures are in place to prevent it during disasters and military actions. Restoring looted objects has been an uphill battle for some developing nations. After WWII, an international commission returned art looted by the Nazis to their rightful owners.
Looting involves the removal of valuable or culturally valuable items during a time of disaster or turmoil. It differs from scavenging, where people may take items such as food, water and medicine to survive, sometimes without the intention of paying for or compensating for the use of those items in the future. In looting, stolen items are usually not necessary for survival and may have very high resale value or cultural significance; things like art objects, cultural artifacts, and human remains can be looted.
This activity appears to be nearly as old as human civilization, according to numerous records documenting the looting and pillaging of ancient cities such as Carthage and Alexandria, sometimes on multiple occasions. Historically, conquering peoples have plundered heavily from the civilizations they have taken over, sending valuable items back to their home nations and destroying items they cannot safely transport or move. Looting during times of warfare has persisted into the modern era, with troops taking valuables from the communities they pass through.
In addition to being related to warfare, looting can also occur during natural disasters, riots, times of political unrest, and other events. Typically, law and order are broken, allowing people to engage in activities that would otherwise be too dangerous, such as stealing from museums and normally well-protected private homes. Creative looters have even plundered directly from archaeological sites, bribing guards or setting up diversions at well-guarded sites to gain access to items of interest and value.
Recognizing that looting occurs, international tribunals periodically hear cases involving looting. A number of nations have requested the return of culturally important artifacts, ranging from the Elgin Marbles in Greece to Inca mummies in South America. Nations with rich cultural histories and turbulent economies and political systems have sometimes argued that objects removed from their borders “for security” were actually plundered by more powerful nations. For some developing nations, reacquiring important cultural artifacts has been an uphill battle.
One of the most important restorations of looted objects in the modern era occurred after World War II, when an international commission met to examine art apparently looted by the Nazis to determine its provenance and return the objects to their rightful owners. In some cases, museums and families have had difficulty documenting the circumstances of the losses and have been unable to reclaim their art.
Measures are also in place to prevent looting in circumstances where it could pose a risk. Many museums are designed to be closed during disasters, with independent internal systems to maintain security systems, humidity controls, and other measures intended to keep the art safe. Members of the military are warned of the consequences of looting during military actions and in some cases international troops are sent to protect museums and important cultural sites during military actions to keep important items safe.
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