Human rights and cultural property protection in times of conflict

This article considers the relationship between the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict, as defined in International Humanitarian Law, and human rights. It contextualises this by acknowledging the social role of archaeology as developed by the World Archaeological Congress. The article uses the author’s personal experience of working with the UK Ministry of Defence to attempt to protect cultural property in Iraq to illustrate the failure of the military, and its political masters, to understand the importance of cultural property and argues that there needs to be a closer relationship between the military and cultural heritage experts if the human rights of those caught up in conflict are to be ensured.