Part 1/15:
The Fight to Reclaim Lost Cultural Heritage
The international illegal antiquities trade is a staggering $10 billion industry annually, fueling a shadow network of theft, smuggling, and illicit sales across the globe. This black market thrives in the dark, with countless priceless artifacts vanishing from their original sites and ending up in private collections, museums, and auction houses far from their cultural roots. Museums in the UK, France, the US, and Australia are under mounting scrutiny as activists and officials strive to trace the origins of thousands of artifacts believed to be stolen or looted, often dating back centuries.