[meteorite-list] Warning About Libyan Desert Glass Artifacts

[Zelimir Gabelica]

Hi Keith, Frank, List,

Currently, natural LDG's (i.e. not worked by prehistoric men into tools...) 
are found in Egypt (I am tempted to say "exclusively" although one should 
be cautious and perhaps rather say "mostly").
On the other hand, I know of some prehistoric tools made out of LDG that 
were offered for sale by, let's say "Sahara desert nomads" (wherever they 
come) out of Egypt as well, in this case in a "souk" (market) somewhere in 
Lybia.
Assuming these objects were initially found in Egypt, nobody knows when 
they were found and/or exported from Egypt (pre or after 1970) by the 
nomads, how long they awaited in the souk for an purchaser, etc.
These nomads have no certifying documents and I bet they would never think 
to ever get one, presumably because they belong to the vast Sahara, 
whatever their country of origin and independently of the country where the 
LDG's stem from.
As a conclusion, probably no one would be able to ever prove when such 
objects were acrried out of Egypt (if Egypt) and where they could actually 
come from.
I believe if some court or law would argue about the legal standing of 
these LDG objects, they (and not the buyer) should bring the proof they 
were exported from Egypt pre 1970 ?
The general question is thus: what is really illegal?
  At least I conclude from the debate that natural LDG's can continue to be 
exported even from Egypt. I hope I am correct.

Best wishes,

Zelimir


A 09:19 08/06/04 -0700, vous avez écrit :
>Hello Keith,
>
>I understand what you are saying about the Libyan Desert Glass artifacts
>"imported" (stolen) from Egypt. I would guess though that prehistoric man
>might have carried artifacts throughout the Sahara. So if LDG artifacts were
>found and sold in Libya or Morocco and exported, they would be expected to
>be legally obtained? Just wondering.
>Curiously yours,
>Frank
>
>----- Original Message -----
>It is obvious from the complexity of antiquities
>laws that the above discussion is only a lay person's
>interpretation that he has been told. Therefore,
>it should not be used to make any judgments about
>the legal standing of or for specific situations.
>It is just a warning that people who own or trade
>in Egyptian artifacts composed of Libyan Desert
>Glass might want to talk with a lawyer about their
>legal standing.  People, who buy artifacts composed
>of Libyan Desert Glass might insist on obtaining a
>valid legal document certifying that the artifact
>that they are buying was legally exported to cover
>themselves in terms of legal liabilities.
>.
>Maybe the International Meteorite Collectors Association
>might want to hire a lawyer to look into this matter and
>publish a report on the legal status of Egyptian
>artifacts composed of Libyan Desert Glass.
>.
>
>
>
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Prof. Zelimir Gabelica
Université de Haute Alsace
ENSCMu, Lab. GSEC,
3, Rue A. Werner,
F-68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0)3 89 33 68 94
Fax: +33 (0)3 89 33 68 15