January 22, 2014
On January 14, 2014, the United States and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria signed a bilateral agreement in an effort to protect the archaeological heritage of Bulgaria. This agreement is intended to reduce the incentive for looting and illicit trafficking of Bulgaria’s cultural objects, including archaeological materials dating from 7500 BC to approximately 1750 AD and categories of ethnological material from 681 AD to 1750 AD. This agreement will be in effect for a period of five years, with the option to renew after that time.
The AIA would like to thank all of its members who submitted letters to the State Department’s Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC) or attended the meeting and spoke in support of this agreement. Public comments are an important part of the extension process, and we are thankful to have such an active group of supporters at the AIA! To read a first-hand account of the CPAC meeting from 2011, click here.
For more information on this extension, visit the Bulgaria page of the CPAC website. You can view the original press release on the U.S. Department of State website.
Learn more about the Site Preservation program and other advocacy efforts.
