Original Fake

Present book addresses a poly-crime conglomerate within the framework of a project funded by the EU from the ISF, which relates to illegal archaeological excavations, the trade in these cultural objects and, in particular, original forgeries: Original Fakes. The fact that illegal excavations and the trade in these objects are not in accordance with current law is unquestionable and at the same time, just like the production of supposedly original archaeological cultural property, the object of the profit motive – often by means of money laundering – of criminal networks, but may also have political backgrounds in parts. This thematic multi-layered character, as well as its negative impact on the historical-social dimensions of the exploitation and falsification of cultural property, defines a field of activity (not only related to law enforcement) to which the EU must pay increased attention for a variety of explained reasons.