Archaeology Cultural Property and the Military

Laurie Rush a senior archeologist with the U.S. Army has assembled a seminal book on the threat to important cultural sites from combat operations and none too soon. Spurred by the tragic and unnecessary loss of artefacts andarchaeology from the invasion of Iraq she and her colleagues make a persuasive case that a minimum of common sense can not only protect this shared heritage but also enhance the likelihood that a military mission will succeed and with fewer casualties. This book should be required reading for senior military and civilian leaders not just in the United States but throughout the world who are able to initiate the training and education necessary to ensure that planning and targeting personnel will be able to identify significant sites and take every reasonable step to avoid damaging them. RICHARD MOE PROFESSOR EMERITUS NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION US From Lawrence of Arabia to the Monuments Men to the contributors within this volume academic scholars have found themselves engaged in conflict areas in topics involving conflict and in unlikely partnerships with military professionals. Motives and methods have varied dramatically over the years but the over-riding theme of this volume is stewardship. In each case an author has encountered a situation where their expertise has offered the potential tohelp save archaeological properties historical structures and sacred places - or has documented the process. Drawing on major contributions from seven armed forces amongst others this book aims to set out the obligations to protect cultural heritage under international Conventions; provide a series of case studies of current military practice; and outline the current efforts to enhance this. Overall it offers examples anecdotes and lessons learnedthat can be used for consideration in planning future efforts for global archaeological stewardship. Contributors: Patty Gerstenblith Krysia Spirydowicz Julian Radcliffe Corine Wegener Joris Kila Martin Brown JamesZeidler Laurie Rush Paul R. Green Darrell C. Pinckney Diane C. Siebrandt Hugo Clarke Friedrich Schipper Franz Schuller Karl von Habsburg-Lothringen Holger Eichberger Erich Frank Norbert Fürstenhofer Stephan Zellmeyer Sarah Parcak