Jitka Kufnerová, Helena Heroldová, Jaroslav Kukla, Filip Křivohlavý, Ivo Světlík, Kateřina Pachnerová Brabcová
{"title":"Radiocarbon dating of illegal ivory confirmed by Milos Forman’s Hair","authors":"Jitka Kufnerová, Helena Heroldová, Jaroslav Kukla, Filip Křivohlavý, Ivo Světlík, Kateřina Pachnerová Brabcová","doi":"10.1017/rdc.2024.62","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Illegal poaching brought elephant species to the brink of extinction; therefore, international trade in ivory has become regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). However, the trade is still allowed for antique items, standing for ivory from a period before 1947 within the European Union. This could serve as a loophole for the laundering of modern ivory. In the described case of the Happy Fisherman statuette, the traded item was declared to be antique, but radiocarbon analysis proved a modern provenance, and the statuette was confiscated. The radiocarbon analysis was later confirmed by information from a Chinese newspaper found inside the statuette. Based on the findings, we strongly recommend careful consideration of each individual ivory piece offered for sale, with a thorough inspection of the items and related documentation carried out by a relevant CITES authority. Any exemption of the commercial ban should be granted only to those applicants who meet the criteria of proper evidence in the form of scientific analysis or reliable and trustworthy documentation.","PeriodicalId":21020,"journal":{"name":"Radiocarbon","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Radiocarbon","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1017/rdc.2024.62","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GEOCHEMISTRY & GEOPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Illegal poaching brought elephant species to the brink of extinction; therefore, international trade in ivory has become regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). However, the trade is still allowed for antique items, standing for ivory from a period before 1947 within the European Union. This could serve as a loophole for the laundering of modern ivory. In the described case of the Happy Fisherman statuette, the traded item was declared to be antique, but radiocarbon analysis proved a modern provenance, and the statuette was confiscated. The radiocarbon analysis was later confirmed by information from a Chinese newspaper found inside the statuette. Based on the findings, we strongly recommend careful consideration of each individual ivory piece offered for sale, with a thorough inspection of the items and related documentation carried out by a relevant CITES authority. Any exemption of the commercial ban should be granted only to those applicants who meet the criteria of proper evidence in the form of scientific analysis or reliable and trustworthy documentation.
期刊介绍:
Radiocarbon serves as the leading international journal for technical and interpretive articles, date lists, and advancements in 14C and other radioisotopes relevant to archaeological, geophysical, oceanographic, and related dating methods. Established in 1959, it has published numerous seminal works and hosts the triennial International Radiocarbon Conference proceedings. The journal also features occasional special issues. Submissions encompass regular articles such as research reports, technical descriptions, and date lists, along with comments, letters to the editor, book reviews, and laboratory lists.