Archaeologists and War

Yannis Hamilakis (Chair)

The aim of this Taskforce is to investigate the role of archaeologists in situations of armed conflict around the world, and explore the ethical dilemmas and the social and political consequences and effects arising from that involvement. More specifically this Taskforce will investigate the following questions:

1) Should WAC members and archaeologists in general collaborate with the military in situations of armed conflict, especially when international law is being violated?

2) Does the need to rescue archaeological monuments, sites and artefacts in situations of armed conflict, override any other concern and responsibility for archaeologists?

3) Is our primary ethical responsibility in these cases to rescue the archaeological monuments and sites, and how can we reconcile that responsibility with the ethical concern over the legality and morality of the conflict, and its effects on the present and future of the people concerned?

As its starting point, this Taskforce will explore these questions by looking at archaeological involvement in two current cases, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the pre-emptive invasion and occupation of Iraq by the current USA and UK administrations and their allies.