This study documents the growing demand for pre-Columbian art and artifacts in the Caribbean Islands, be they real, recent, or replica. Archaeologists of the region are under increasing pressure to correctly identify a variety of artifacts, including numerous forgeries as well as real specimens looted from ancient sites, that make their way onto the black market. The demand has also produced a healthy industry creating modern replicas and original inspired works of art. This market is fueling a major threat to the cultural patrimony of the Caribbean Islands embodied in the native Taíno culture.
Eighteen scholars contribute to twelve articles that cover all aspects of the issue, especially the manufacture of fakes and the looting of ancient sites. They also survey the attempts of governments to come to grips with the problem. They explore the role of museums and other institutions in separating authentic items from forgeries.
The first of its kind, Real, Recent, or Replica is an important addition to the literature of historical preservation and the on-going struggle to protect national heritage. It is a readable and well-illustrated study that has policy implications in many regions of the world.
