American Politics, the American Public, and the Protection of Cultural Heritage: An Analysis of the U.S. – Cyprus Cultural Property Agreement

In 1999, the United States adopted emergency restrictions on the import of Byzantine cultural material from Cyprus. That initial action has evolved into a long-standing memorandum of understanding that includes archaeological as well as ethnological materials. Recognizing the political climate in which U.S. law and the initial emergency measures were enacted and how the memorandum interacts with current social and political conditions, the authors argue that both U.S. policy and American attitudes toward antiquities trafficking and cultural heritage protection need to change.