The U.S. and international laws linked below frequently impact the cultural policy debate. Copies of the U.S. federal statutes and
regulations in these pages are not official. For official copies of U.S. statutes, see the United States
Code http://www.gpoaccess.gov/USCODE/index.html.
For official copies of the regulations, see the Federal
Register and the Code of Federal Regulations. You can access official copies of
these documents at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html
U.S. Domestic LawAmerican Antiquities Act of 1906
Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979
Regulations on Archeological ResourcesConvention on Cultural Property Implementation Act
US Senate Report, 97-564
Link to List of Agreements, Emergency Actions and Federal Register Notices of Prohibited Items - http://culturalheritage.state.gov/list.html
National Stolen Property Act
Pre-Columbian Monumental and Architectural Sculpture and Murals StatuteNative American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990
NAGPRA Regulations
NAGPRA Senate Report
18 U.S.C. Section 1361
18 U.S.C. Section 641
Abandoned Shipwreck Act
Migratory Bird Act of 1918
Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act
Migratory Bird Act - List of Protected Birds
Final List of Bird Species to Which the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Does
Not Apply
Bald Eagle Protection Act
Marine Mammal Protection ActEndangered Species Act, see www.epw.senate.gov/esa73.pdf .For a basic introduction to laws restricting trade in endangered species, see:
http://www.earthtrust.org/wlcurric/appen2.html
International Instruments1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of
Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Objects
See also: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) at www.cites.org
Other National LawsMany other foreign laws covering cultural property may be found on the UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws.
Please visit this offsite, copyrighted database: http://www.unesco.org/culture/natlaws/index.php?&lng=en
Additional international laws directly available on this site:
Afghanistan
Code for the Protection of Antiquities in Afghanistan (1958)
AustraliaProtection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986
CambodiaDécision Sur la Protection du Patrimoine Culturel
Egypt
Cultural Heritage Legislation in Egypt
Germany
Great Britain
Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offenses) Act 2003
Guidance on the Dealing in Cultural Objects Offenses Act 2003
India
The “Antiquities” and Art Treasures Act, 1972
Indian Treasure Trove
Act, 1878
JapanLaw Concerning Controls on the Illicit Export and Import of
Cultural Property
Philippines Republic Act No. 260
Republic Act No. 374
Republic Act No. 4846Switzerland
Federal Act on the International Transfer of Cultural Property
ThailandAct On Ancient Monuments, Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums, B.E. 2504 (1961)International Instruments in Time of War1863 Lieber Code
1874 Brussels Declaration
1880 Laws of War on Land
1899 Convention for the Pacific Settlement
1907 Hague Laws and Customs of War on Land
1935 Roerich Pact
1945 Nuremberg Agreement
1950 Nuremberg Principles
1954 Hague Cultural Property
1999 Second Hague Protocol
| 
