Agree with the thrust of Els's post. To dot the "i's" etc I have had a long interaction with Gemini!!!
Conclusions?
a. "Looting" is primarily about "Purpose" - we can't simply call "poor" archaeological techniques which in modern terms destroyed context etc "looting". "Damage" (even based on the standards of the time) isn't a necessary factor in "looting - the Koguryo Tombs were excavated by Japanese archaeologists using the very best techniques.
b. The purpose must be to take away objects for "unsatisfactory"reasons from those who have a better "claim" over them.
c. Personal collection or profit would clearly fit into that but what about removal to a world standard museum "away" from the site.
d. In what circumstances do the "locals" (and how "local" do they have to be) have legitimate "claim" over the objects. When the items were removed the "locals" may have had no concept that what they might consider their "Heritage" was being removed
e. The attribution of the word "Looting" must therefore be seen within a contemporary not a historical context.
f. But that raises another problem - that "contemporary context" MAY not be universally accepted. We either only identify "looting" where everyone agrees it was such or we MAY include it where "some perspectives" do so. My view is that we adopt the latter whilst making it clear that the attribution of the term in any particular case might not be universal!
g. That will inevitably identifiy some "hard cases" where e.g sub cultures within a universally accepted "state" might feel that tombs which they regard as "their" heritage have been "looted" by a superior force within that "state". I think we just have to treat such cases on their merits.... how realistically founded is the "sub culture" view and how do we define them -- "Sub-cultures" sounds a bit dismissive. Ethnic? mmm?.... I have chosen "Claimant culture" to avoid specifying the basis of the claim!!
h. The definition of the "Goods" being taken justfies a "look" ... does it only apply to removable objects or should it also apply to the "Fabric" of a tomb. So should the chiselling away of reliefs from the tombs be included? I suggest the extension to include "integral architecture" .... that covers Goguryo wall paintings and, I think, the reliefs from the tombs of Artaxerxes II/III at Persepolis.
i. Finally - What do about defining the period during which we consider removal of goods to have been "looting". A concern is that if we include the whole of "history" then the vast majority of tombs are going to have been looted??? Possibly to the extent that only those excavated in contemporary times are going to esacape the definition of have been looted by unknowns a long time ago or illegitimately in more recnt times!!!! I haven't really resolved that issue in my mind yet. Should we limit "Ancient lootings" in some way to the more "significant" ones??? But i can't think how.... perhpas this IS an example of where we should only address the problem if it becomes too large???

Therefore, until we address that issue, the definition stands as follows -
Grave Looting: The removal of remains or objects (including integral tomb/grave architecture), in any historical period, for personal trophy-gathering, profit, or where, from the perspective of a contemporary descendent or "claimant" culture, the removal may be viewed as illegitimate. Identify wherever possible the goods removed, by whom and where they are currently

Thank you, Els and Solivagant for redefining the Grave looting. I concur with what you wrote about the connection, so my two cents are coming in a bit post factum.


Looting is indeed about purpose. It is taking away or "stealing" goods from the owners, even if those owners are deceased. The profit will nearly always be personal, but it can also be for the profit of a foreign power, e.g. when a foreign expedition took away certain artefacts to display in the home country. That last case is indeed a grey zone and the opinion will be determined by the point of view. Point (f) also refers to that change of perspective.


I'm not sure if there will always be a "local" claim. The "local" claim will probably always be a state claim, if there is any international controversy. A local "claim" might not be necessary for this connection.


See the first point. It depends on the perpective and should be added, if applicable.


This again might be more difficult to establish, as a "dominant culture" will not always recognize the wishes of the "claimant culture" if that last one is subjugated. As you say, these cases will have to be treated on their merits, and maybe on the most basic definition of looting, which is that things were stolen from a tomb.


The best thing for the connection will be to historically include all periods. It might be that that created a very larg connection, but that we can always see afterwards if a solution is needed when time comes.

I still have a connection proposition standing, but I also want to propose some new connections for another WHS I visited this summer: the Villa Adriana in Tivoli. It currently has 24 connections.

Connection: 2 or more nominated criteria rejected by AB

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – Rejected: 4, 5, 6. Accepted: 1, 2, 3.

Connection: Archaeological potential

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "The site, much of which is still unexcavated (...)" (Wikipedia)

Connection: Astronomy and Astrology

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – Rocca Bruna: "It is plausible that it had the function of a panoramic belvedere that it still has today, but additionally was an astronomical observatory, taking into account the emperor's passion for astrology. (...) The lower area, occupied by a large circular room, offers a further indication of the knowledge of the sky and the stars. Within the floor decoration (...) traces of the central medallion are visible showing the image of the armillary sphere, a complex instrument made up of metal rings (armillae), which represented the circles of the celestial sphere that was particularly appreciated by the Romans and used to determine the position of the stars." (Information panel at the Villa Adriana)

Connection: Early Archaeology

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "Interest in the ruins was rekindled in the 15th century by Pope Pius II (Aeneas Silvius). Excavations to recover its glories were ordered by Alexander VI at the beginning of the 16th century. Thereafter excavations were carried out sporadically until the Villa Adriana became the property of the newly created Italian State in 1870." (Ab Ev) - The first search for art objects took place during the pontificate of Alexander VI (1482-1503), when the cycle of the Muses was discovered in the Greek Theatre; this was followed by the excavations ordered by Cardinals Alessandro Farnese (1535) and Ippolito d'Este (1550-1572). Subsequently, there were the excavations of Simplicio Bulgarini, Count Fede, Monsignor Furietti, Cardinal Alessandro Albani, Gavin Hamilton, Giovanni Batista and Francesco Piranesi, among many others. (Nomination file, p. 8)

Connection: Fusion

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "(...) the villa was designed as an ideal city and incorporates the architectural traditions of Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt." – "Villa Adriana, reminiscent of famous places and buildings throughout the empire, reproduced elements of the material cultures of Egypt, Greece and Rome in the form of an "ideal city"." – "Criterion (i): The Villa Adriana is a masterpiece that uniquely brings together the highest expressions of the material cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world." (OUV)

To be continued...

Foreigner prices: Paris, Banks of the Seine

https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/hours-admission#ticket-prices

I'm taking this connection proposal is not viable?

And some more new connections for the Villa Adriana:

Connection: In the Louvre

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – The Louvre has friezes that come from the Maritime Theatre of Hadrian's Villa. (Link)

Connection: Jesuit Order

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – From the 16th to the 19th century, excavations multiplied, even by the owners of the land surrounding the villa, such as Count Fede or the Jesuits to whom the Pecile area belonged. (Wikipedia)

Connection: Moats

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "The Maritime (or Naval) Theatre is a circular structure 43m in diameter; the Ionic marble peristyle encloses a circular moat surrounding a central island on which there is a miniature villa." (Ab Ev)

Connection: Mosaic art

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – As for the decorative parts, they have been preserved and a large number of wall paintings of great interest are in good condition, as well as a large part of the marble and mosaic pavements of different kinds. (Nomination file, p. 17)

To be continued...

I had to think more about it, it seems far-fetched at first sight

I understand. It is based on a comparative analysis in the Maison Carrée nomination file, and I thought it could be an interesting connection which is not that immediately evident. But I also understand if you would bin the proposal.

The UNESCO Sites Navigator tool makes it much easier to identify overlap of WHS with Global Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves. These were just a few I noticed based on the map that were not already included in the connection.

Gyeongju Historic Areas (Korea)

Gyeongbuk Donghaean UNESCO Global Geopark

Naval Port of Karlskrona (Sweden)

Blekinge Archipelago UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region (Japan)

Remains of Hara Castle Component - Unzen Volcanic Area UNESCO Global Geopark

Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale (Italy)

Cefalu Cathedral Component - Madonie UNESCO Global Geopark

Villa Romana del Casale (Italy)

Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark

Fortifications of Vauban: La tour Dorée de Camaret-sur-Mer
Global Geoparks: Armorique

Prehistoric Pile Dwellings
Global Geoparks: Massif des Bauges

Four more new connections for the Villa Adriana!

Connection: Octagons

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – Several octagonally shaped structures at the Villa Adriana, e.g. the octagonal heated room in the thermae with heliocaminus, octagonal fountains in one of the courtyards of the Hall with three exedrae, the octagonal hall of the smaller baths, the octagonal vestibule of the Piazza d'Oro (Information panels at the Villa Adriana)

Connection: Olive Tree Landscapes

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – Much of the landscape of the archaeological site is composed of lush olive trees, which are mainly responsible for the romantic/pastoral image of the Villa Tiburtina. (Nomination file, p. 7)

Connection: Popes

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "Interest in the ruins was rekindled in the 15th century by Pope Pius II (Aeneas Silvius). Excavations to recover its glories were ordered by Alexander VI at the beginning of the 16th century." (Ab Ev) - The humanist Flavio Biondo mentioned the villa in his writings in 1450, and about ten years later it was visited and also mentioned by Pope Pius II Piccolomini. (Wikipedia)

Connection: Recently discovered

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – The Aegyptiacà "came to light between 2000 and 2005". (Information panel at the Villa Adriana)

To be continued...

I am not sure whether this fits the connection description well enough - it should be "strongly linked to one or all of them"

Let's continue the new connections for the Villa Adriana!

Connection: Reinforced Concrete

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "The successful excavation campaigns of the 1950s (...) unearthed the pool in front of the so-called Serapeum and a large part of the sculptural decoration that adorned the banks and the surrounding area. This unexpected discovery led to the decision to protect the original statues in a museum and to install copies made of reinforced concrete around the pool." (Information panel at the Villa Adriana)

Connection: Replicas within the WHS

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "The successful excavation campaigns of the 1950s (...) unearthed the pool in front of the so-called Serapeum and a large part of the sculptural decoration that adorned the banks and the surrounding area. This unexpected discovery led to the decision to protect the original statues in a museum and to install copies made of reinforced concrete around the pool." The original sculptures are exposed in the museum building next to the Canopus. (Information panel at the Villa Adriana)

Connection: Restored by anastylosis

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "As far back as the latter half of the 19th century, restoration work carried out at Villa Adriana was undertaken in keeping with the theories and techniques of archaeological restoration (...). At the same time careful analysis and studies made possible to carry out partial anastylosis of some structures." (OUV) These structures include "the Serapeum, the Maritime Theatre, and the Room of the Doric Columns." (AB Ev)

Connection: Slavery

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – The Villa Adriana had slave quarters. (Information panels at the Villa Adriana)

To be continued...

The last new connection for the Villa Adriana!

Connection: Viewable from another WHS

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "The Salon on the ground floor [of the Villa d'Este] is the first room of the personal apartments of Ippolito; it was used for receptions, and features an extensive view of the garden below and countryside beyond, including Villa of Hadrian." (Wikipedia)

Already existing, but adding or expanding the rationale

Connection: Baths

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "A third group of buildings comprises the baths, including Small Thermae, Large Thermae and the Thermae with Heliocaminus." (OUV)

Connection: Cryptoporticus

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – "(...) there is a complex of underground elements, including cryptoportici and underground galleries, used for internal communications and storage." (OUV)

Connection: Theatres and Opera Houses

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) – Greek Theatre: The so-called Greek theatre is an open-air theater that retains few remains of the steps and the auditorium. Originally, it was probably covered in marble. In reality, it has the characteristics of a Roman theatre, being circular rather than elliptical; it was intended for private performances. (Wikipedia)

The end.

A new connection suggestion:

Cocos plate

or

Shark and turtles migration routes

_ Cocos Island
_ Coiba National Park
_ Galapagos Islands
_ Malpelo

https://www.voyage-galapagos.com/blog/actu/reserve-marine#images-3