Archaeology Magazine - July 1977 - 63

be approachedin a rigorousscientific
mannerwhetherthe site is in the wayof
a constructionprojector not. In addition,
must be writtenup and
the information
made availableto the scientific
communityand the publicas well.
recognizethat sites and
Archaeologists
the information
they containare

disappearingat an ever increasingrate.
The conservationethic requiresthat
investigationsaim at the most
beneficialattrition"of the
"cumulatively
availableresourcebase. This requires
sound scientificresearchon all sites,
completepreservationof chosen sites
and/orareas, timelydistributionof

informationgainedfromthe research,
and involvementof the public.These
mandatesforma solideffortin preserving
some portionof the past.
Hester A. Davis
ArkansasArchaeologicalSurvey

givenartifact.A CulturalProperty
AdvisoryCommitteewillbe set up with
the enactmentof HR5643to advisethe
Presidenton the petitionedartifacts.
The AIA,the Associationfor Field
is currentlypendingin the
Legislation
Archaeology,the AmericanAssociationof
Museums,the Associationof ArtMuseum
Waysand MeansCommittee,United
Directorsand variousdealer groupswere
States Houseof Representatives,that
endeavorsto implementthe United
tentativelysuggested for membershipon
this key committee.The finalmake-upof
NationsConventionon the Meansof
the committeehas not yet been
and Preventingthe Illicit
Prohibiting
determined,but once organized,it will
Import,Exportand Transportof
have a crucialrole in monitoringillegally
Ownershipof CulturalProperty.The
ExecutiveCommitteeof the
importedand exportedobjects.
Instituteof America
Duringthe hearingsrepresentatives
Archaeological
fromvariousgroups and organizations
endorsedthe UNESCOConventionin
1971and considerablediscussionon the testifiedregardingsuggested
meritsof the suggestedlegislationhas
amendmentsand revisionsto the bill.
ensued (see Archaeology 29:274-276]. These includedthe Departmentof State;
TreasuryDepartment;CustomsService;
Hearingswere held in Washington,
D.C.on May12, 1977and May24, 1977 AmericanAssociationof ArtMuseum
regardingHR5643 entitled"The Cultural Directors;AmericanAssociationof
Act."The bill,
Dealersin Ancient,Orientaland Primitive
PropertyImplementation
introducedby CongressmanAbnerJ.
Art;AmericanAssociationof Museums;
Mikva(D-IL),states that the Presidentof ArtDealersAssociationof America;and
the UnitedStates has the authorityto
Museumof Art.Onlytwo
the Metropolitan
returnculturaland ethnologicalobjectsto professionalarchaeologicalorganizations
were represented,namelythe
any countrythat petitionsthe returnof a

Instituteof Americaand
Archaeological
the Associationfor FieldArchaeology.
Oscar WhiteMuscarella,Chairman
of the Committeeon Professional
of the AIA,represented
Responsibilities
that organization.
HR5643 has been regardedas a
compromisebetweenthe archaeological
communityand art dealers. Some viewit
as beingnot strongenoughbecause it
does not deal firmlyenoughwiththe
problemof illegallyexcavated
archaeologicalmaterialsuch as objects
plunderedfrommoundsand tombs.Stolen
artifactsare primarilydealt within
termsofobjectsthat belongto museums
or religiousand secular public
monumentsand institutions.Despitesuch
problems,however,HR5643 represents
a steppingstone to strongerlegislationin
the futureand the ExecutiveCommittee
of the AIAsupportsit in this light.
Commentsshouldbe addressed to
CongressmanAbnerJ. Mikva,Chairman
on Waysand Means,UnitedStates House
of Representatives,Washington,D.C.
20515. Finalhearingsare scheduledfor
July 1977.

Additionally,
they were contrastedwith
the Templein Jerusalemwhichreplaced
such sanctuariesin Israeliteworship
"Templesand HighPlaces in Biblical
duringthe latertenth centurybefore
Times"was the subjectof a major
Christ.
held at the HebrewUnion
colloquium
Amongthe papers givenwere reports
College- JewishInstituteof Religion,
by BenjaminMazarof HebrewUniversity,
JerusalemCampusin Israelon March
Jerusalem,whodemonstratedthe
14-16,1977.The meetingmarkedthe
continuityof the traditionalassociationof
centennialcelebrationof the Reform
YHWH(Yahwehor Lord)withthe nomadic
Jewishmovement.Distinguished
scholars tribes in the Sinaiarea. Mazarplacedthis
in Biblical,AncientNear Easternand
activityback as far as the fourteenth
Classicalarchaeologyfromthe United
centuryb.c. DavidNoelFreedman,
Directorof the AlbrightInstituteof Biblical
States, Europeand Israelgave papers
and participatedin the discussionswhich Archaeology,Jerusalem,examinedthe
were aimedat understandingthe cultic
relationshipof the Israeliteconceptof the
natureof Israeliteworshipat open-air
tabernacleto heavenlymodelsof the
sanctuaries.These areas are known
house of the Lord.The conceptof the
variouslyas highplaces or hill-sanctuaries tabernaclewas shownto relateto ideas
and have as theirmajorarchitectural
foundin other AncientNear Eastern
elementan altaror bema. The
societies.FrankM.Cross of Harvard
sanctuariesand theircultswere
Universityreexaminedhis 1947studyon
the historicityof the PriestlyTabernacle
comparedwithsimilarplaces in other
societiesand in othertime periods.
describedin Exodus,Chapters25-31and

35-40.Materialbroughtto lightoverthe last
thirtyyears, accordingto Cross, gives
added weightto the idea that the
descriptionin Exodusis based on the
tabernacleof KingDaviddated to the
earlytenth centurybeforeChrist.This
representsthe finalstage in the
tabernacletraditionas practicedin
the highplaces. MosheDothanof the
Departmentof Antiquities,Jerusalem,
lookingat the earlytraditions,discussed
the newlydiscoveredopen-aircult place
at Nahariyàhin northwesternIsrael.
Datedto the EarlyBronzeAge (third
millenniumb.c.), it providesinteresting
comparisonswithlater northwestern
Semiticcults.AvrahamBiran,
Directorof the NelsonGlueckSchoolof
Archaeology,HebrewUnionCollege,
Jerusalem,whoorganizedthe colloquium,
has announcedthatthe proceedingswillbe
publišhedat an earlydate.
MICHAEL
M. ElSMAN
TempleUniversity

Antiquities Legislation
Hearings Held
in Congress

Colloquium on Israelite
Sanctuaries

279
Archaeology Magazine - July 1977

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - July 1977
