Innocents Abroad? The Consumption of Antiquities from the Holy Land

What is it about?

The article considers why people want to own a piece of the past, what tempts consumers, and what effect (if any) consumption has on archaeological landscapes? Over 20 years of research and interviews demonstrate that whether buyers are wily speculators, investing to increase their capital (cultural, economic, social, sensu Bourdieu), or innocent pilgrims on a once in a lifetime trip to the Holy Land there are unintended negative consequences of purchasing the past.

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Photo by Trnava University on Unsplash

Photo by Trnava University on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Demand for archaeological artifacts in the state-sanctioned marketplace in Israel results in the destruction of landscapes and thefts from museums in the region. Most consumers purchasing artifacts from a licensed shop in the Old City of Jerusalem do not make the connection between buying an oil lamp and looting at an archaeological site. Rather than simply criticize or vilify consumers, the objective is to consider the implications of a legal market for antiquities through an analysis of the types of tourists visiting licensed antiquities shops in Israel, their patterns of consumption, and why they want to own the past. This article explores the purchasers of artifacts, the effects of their acquisitions, and considers the ways we might create a set of better-informed consumers who ask relevant questions about the origin stories of the objects they are buying.