Adalberto Biasiotti - Fight against illicit traffic of cultural property in South-East Europe. Gaziantep, Turkey, 19-21 November 2012

Fight against illicit traffic of
cultural property in
South-East Europe
Gaziantep, Turkey
19-21 November 2012

11/12/2012 copyright 2007 - A. Biasiotti - TIEM 1

A presentation from Adalberto Biasiotti,
UNESCO expert on the protection of
cultural heritage from criminal attacks


Some first hand experiences
 Pompeii excavations security manager for 10
years
 2011 mission to Egypt with an Interpol agent
 Various missions in South East Europe and
Mediterranean and Arabic countries
 Member of European Union standards
committees


 Kuwait National Museum

11/12/2012 copyright 2007 - A.Biasiotti- TIEM 4

 2003 - 2004 Mission to USA, to advise on security
matters for the North Carolina Museum of Arts


2003 - Mission
to Iran, at
Persepolis,
Teheran ed
Isfahan


 Protection of Niavaran Palace, Teheran, private
residence of Reza Pahlavi


 2005 – Assistance in protecting the Iraqi cultural
heritage


 2005 – UNESCO publishes the multilingual
handbook for museum security officers
 Now translated in 7 languages

copyright 2007 - A.Biasiotti-
11/12/2012 9 TIEM

2005 –Mission to Egypt, Cairo, to advise on the security
project of the National Museum of the Egyptian
Civilization –opening end 2012


 From 1997 to 2008 - Security consultant at Pompeii
archaeological sites


Pompeii main video control
room

12
11/12/2012 copyright 2007 - A.Biasiotti - TIEM 12

Distributed instrusion detection
systems within excavations


 A Pompeii special project – the only one
“archeoambulanza” in the world

11/12/2012 14 TIEM

 The archeo bike – electric motor powered,
with extinguisher and first aid kit on board

11/12/2012 15 TIEM

How to protect open air
archaeological excavations
 Many problems and few solutions - Palmyra


 Many problems and few solutions – Leptis
Magna


 Many problems and few solutions – Heraclea


 Many problems and few solutions – Skupi


 Many problems and few solutions – Stobi


 Many problems and few solutions – Zeugma


 Often the site is far away form cities or villages
 Often the excavations are moving from an area
to the next one
 Often there is no electriciy
 Often no guards are available on site, or, if on
site, are unprotected from assaults
 Often police forces may require some time to
arrive on site
 Often there are no reliable means for
transmitting an alarm

Such a guard post in quite
insecure and even dangerous


What about guards on site?
Very dangerous for guards and artefacts!
 Guards attacked in Saqqara plains, Egypt, 2011


 Guards attacked in Luxor, West Bank, Egypt,
2011


 Many precious
artefacts robbed at
gunpoint


We face three challenges:

 Create a border around the site, to keep animals
away, to reduce the false alarm ratio
 Detect an intruder
 Send an intrusion alarm to a police controlled
site or to a local guard post


First step: erect a fence all aroud the site
The fence shall stop animals, not intruders

 No good;
expensive, difficul
to relocate and
may be blown
away from strong
winds


 No good:
strong, but
expensive and
may be
difficult to
relocate


 Good: not
expensive
and easy to
relocate


Intrusion detection
 The detectors shall be wireless type, as cabling
is very expensive and inflexible
 The detectors shall be battery powered, with
many years useful life, due to lack of electricity
 The control unit shall be battery powered, with
many years useful life
 The installation shall be fast and easy to
relocate, carried out by unskilled personnel


And now the intrusion detectors
and control units

 Control unit

 Remote control

 Outdoor IR detector

 Outdoor siren

The outdoor IR detector is
the most important component
Range about 24 meters
Useful battery life about 5 years
Appropriate for outdoor installation
even in cold and warm environment
Easy set up
Distance between the detector and the
control unit about 200 metres
A repeater may increase the distance

It is not enough to detect an
intrusion: you should be able to
send an alarm to police forces
 You may use a conventional telephone cable
connection
 You may use a GSM connection
 You may use a Satellite telephone connection


The telephone cable, if available, may be
easily sabotaged


The GSM connection if available,
may be easily sabotaged


By far the best solution is the
satellite telephone ; many products
and services are available and the
cost is reasonable


Power supply problems
 No problem with wireless detectors and control
unit
 No problem with GSM and PSTL connection
 With satellite connection you may need a
supplementary phtovoltaic panel, with a surface
of about one square metre


ONE QUESTION FOR YOU
ALL

Do you think that a siren may
11/12/2012

be useful, even in a almost
deserted site?

copyright 2007 - A. Biasiotti - TIEM 41

If a local guard post is active
 Be sure the guards have a fully functional
channel of communication with police
 The guards have been properly trained and
instructed on alarm and emergency procedures
 A simulation is carried out at least every week
 The first two simulations shall be prearranged;
thereafter, no advance notice of the ongoing
simulation shall be given


BE CAREFUL

If you store
excavated
artefacts on site,
you need special
protection


How to protect an excavated
artefacts storage area, on site
 Install a good quality steel door
 Install a good quality chain and padlock (not the
Chinese ones!!)
 Install a wireless volumetric detector and a
wireless contact on the steel door
 Keep a detailed and updated list of stored items
(better if with a picture)


If possible, do not leave
excavated artefacts on site,
unless you are at a very advanced
stage, and you are able to set up
an Antiquarium,
duly protected and manned


As money is always scarce, here is a realistic budget
 Perimeter fence per meter- € 30
 5 barrier IR detectors, with 5 years battery- €
200 ea.
 One control unit , with 5 years battery, with
GSM and PSTL connection- € 500
 One satellite telephone, connected to the
control unit, with some traffic included and
photovoltaic power supply- € 1300
 One steel door with quality padlock - € 120

And now, a last word of caution
 Develop, in agreement with local police forces, an
intervention plan, in case of alarm
 Agree the intrevention procedures, roads and paths to
block, to follow and to monitor
 Update the local police forces if you modify the
excavation area or if you open new access path or
roads, or new storage areas
 Exchange cellular phone numbers between chief of
police and chief or arheologists
 Invite the police forces to visit the site at least once per
week

Thank you, and please do your best
to protect world cultural heritage!


TIEM – Teamwork for integrated emergency
management – South East Europe


Adalberto Biasiotti - Fight against illicit traffic of cultural property in South-East Europe. Gaziantep, Turkey, 19-21 November 2012

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Adalberto Biasiotti - Fight against illicit traffic of cultural property in South-East Europe. Gaziantep, Turkey, 19-21 November 2012