Ethical commitment by the RAP for the publication of articles

The editorial board of the RAP has agreed to an ethical commitment regarding the publication of articles that deal with archaeological artefacts of unknown provenance or that raise doubts as to their authenticity.

This resolution stems from the alarming danger to archaeological heritage. Its intent is to assist the protection and preservation of archaeological goods for future generations by promoting transparency regarding their possession, acquisition, study and publication.

It follows the example adopted by numerous international journals.

In accordance with this ethical commitment, the RAP establishes the following points:

• No article presenting archaeological artefacts devoid of records proving their provenance will be accepted for publication. This concerns objects that do not come from an archaeological excavation or for which there is no record of their acquisition by either a public institution and a private collector after 1972, the date of application of the 1970 UNESCO Treaty: Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property

• The RAP will not publish any article referring to archaeological artefacts of doubtful authenticity or of illicit origin, despite documents proving their legal acquisition, if it is not precisely to discuss and expose this problem.