This timely volume examines the alarming rise of illicit collecting and trafficking in looted Mesoamerican antiquities, particularly those of the Maya. Beginning is the 1950s and accelerating in the 1960s, looting of Mesoamerican sites has today become a huge problem that threatens knowledge and history throughout the region. The looting, of course, is driven by a growing international market of private collectors and museums. Eleven noted scholars examine the history, extent, and trends of this market and its impact on scholarly research in ten lively essays.
A number of case studies amply illustrate how this international market works. Stelae easily moved from Guatemala to New York prior to the 1970s. Ceramics, mainly from ancient tombs, really got going in the 1980s. National and international laws that attempt to curb this trade are examined, and their effectiveness evaluated. This volume is full of up-to-date information that leads to suggestions for tackling a seemingly intractable problem. —Mark Michel