Legal inquiry

The_Pro

Jr. Member
Oct 13, 2017
66
148
Middle East
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OKM and MineLab
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
If someone finds a huge ancient Egyptian treasure in Lebanon, what's the legal status? Ancient Egyptians ruled over vast areas up to inside nowadays Turkey along the eastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Shall the finders talk to the UN, just to be sure they will get a reward? What to do? Lebanon is in a state of mess, and telling the government there simply means the treasure will be looted. It belongs to humanity. Any advice?
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
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Salinas, CA
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Hypothetical or actual status ? "treasure" = what ? I mean ... a few coins ? A jar of coins ? An entire vault of gold and silver ? And your question also depends on whether you want the technical answer ? Or the realistic answer .

Dunno the laws in that specific country, but I'm going to assume that the technical answer is that you can't keep so much as a single individual coin-found. And if you asked enough archies and pencil-jockeys there, I'm sure they'd say "you must give it all to us".
 

Tiredman

Bronze Member
Oct 15, 2016
2,311
1,486
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Mideast counties have been having success over the years for the return of many museum collections. I doubt it would be allowed to leave country. People have watched too much Indiana Jones.
 

cudamark

Gold Member
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Mar 16, 2011
13,218
14,539
San Diego
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All Treasure Hunting
Logic tells me that if the treasure was found on government property, the government will claim it. You'd have to look up the laws regarding private property finds. If I found it on my own property, I'd definitely keep it quiet until I got professional legal advice from someone who knows that area of the law. Egypt might try to claim it, but, unless they can prove it was stolen, I doubt they would prevail in an unbiased court of law. We'd love to see some photos! :icon_thumleft:
 

haility

Jr. Member
May 30, 2019
39
27
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Logic tells me that if the treasure was found on government property, the government will claim it. You'd have to look up the laws regarding private property finds. If I found it filezilla uc browser rufus on my own property, I'd definitely keep it quiet until I got professional legal advice from someone who knows that area of the law. Egypt might try to claim it, but, unless they can prove it was stolen, I doubt they would prevail in an unbiased court of law. We'd love to see some photos! :icon_thumleft:

Mideast counties have been having success over the years for the return of many museum collections. I doubt it would be allowed to leave country. People have watched too much Indiana Jones.
 

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Honest Samuel

Banned
Sep 23, 2015
8,814
4,969
Connecticut
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Minelab
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Welcome here. I recommend that you contact a lawyer in the country where you want to go treasure hunting and they will advice you on what the laws are. Good luck and good hunting.
 

Samanthy

Full Member
Apr 22, 2018
219
251
Phoenix, Arizona
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White‘s TM–600
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Don’t worry about the local bureaucrats and lawyers. Cut a deal with the local warlord.
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
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54,876
Florida
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Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Lebanon has treasure trove laws on antiquity finds.
 

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