The Import and Export of Archaeologically or culturally valuable material is a primary concern to all archaeologists, curators, conservation bodies and Trusts.

Every time a genuine artefact appears on the open market, it's frequently the consequence of an archaeological site being destroyed and looted. The appearance of looted artifacts breaks archaeologists' hearts; it erodes educational potential, often removes artefacts from accessible study, injures the cultural wealth and heritage of its origins and is considered by most governments a criminal act.

Whilst we cannot, as a contracting company, determine what the lawful owners of such an artefact shall do; we can put in place certain safeguards to help protect society from unscrupulous exploitation of archaeology. In the event of items being discovered and scheduled to be shipped internationally, we can assist in the preparation of the appropriate paperwork and shipping presentation.

However, before we pass such paperwork to the client or shipping agency, we will ensure that the government and regulatory bodies of the country of origin agree to the shipment insofar as it does not contravene any laws or regulations in force in that country at the time. As part of our commitment to ethics in archaeology, we will not co-operate or conduct business with parties we know do not operate in this spirit.

The equal measure applies to import. We will ensure that any item (over which we exercise any control) being imported does not contravene the host country laws and regulations. To this end, we always insist on a contractual end-user and final destination document. Our position on these matters is not negotiable.