The Role of International Agreements in Protecting Archaeological Sites and Cultural Property

Abstract

Archaeological sites and cultural property occupy a distinguished and valuable place among their people because they are considered a symbol and historical identity for them. Any infringement on this national wealth is regarded as an obliteration of its identity due to its material, moral and cultural value, as it had to be protected and cared for from attacks on it, sabotage, plunder and destruction. For these reasons, agreements, regulations and legislation were found. The 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflicts and the 1970 UNESCO Convention stipulate this protection, which is used to ban and prevent the illegal import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property. The Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1972 is one of the most critical agreements because it directly sheds light on the protection, preservation and preservation of cultural heritage in all its forms, whether in peace or when armed conflicts erupt. The research addressed the concept of protection, its types and forms, the definition of cultural property and its protection, the definition of agreements and their advantages, and the legal measures taken for protection in light of international agreements that contributed to the protection of these archaeological sites.