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Are ivory antiques actually antique?

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Abstract

Twenty-five samples of ivory artefacts were analysed using a radiocarbon dating method. These artefacts were part of a collection of 77 items seized during a wildlife law enforcement operation targeting online illegal ivory trade. Based on the opinion of a qualified expert, 14 of the 25 samples were declared antique, meaning their presumed origin is older than 1947. According to the European Union’s law, antique ivory is exempt from an otherwise total ban on commercial ivory activities since such trade does not contribute to the current decline in elephant population. The radiocarbon measurement has revealed alarming findings that 17 of the 25 processed samples (68%) are not antique as their origin is younger than 1947. The antique expert’s determination of the ivory age failed in 12 of 14 cases (86%).

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Acknowledgements

This publication was supported by OP RDE, MEYS under the project “Ultra-trace isotope research in social and environmental studies using accelerator mass spectrometry,” Reg. No.CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000728. We would like to express our thanks to the Czech Customs and Czech Environmental Inspectorates employees who participated in the enforcement operation for helpful cooperation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia

    Jitka Kufnerová, Jaroslava Frouzová & Tomáš Cajthaml

  2. CRL Radiocarbon Laboratory, Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physic Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia

    Jitka Kufnerová, Kateřina Pachnerová Brabcová, Václav Suchý, Zuzana A. Ovšonková & Ivo Světlík

  3. Czech Environmental Inspectorate, Prague, Czechia

    Jitka Kufnerová

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  1. Jitka Kufnerová
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Correspondence to Kateřina Pachnerová Brabcová.

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Kufnerová, J., Pachnerová Brabcová, K., Suchý, V. et al. Are ivory antiques actually antique?. Crime Law Soc Change 76, 219–231 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-021-09963-0

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