Re: Australia Seizes Illegal Chinese Fossils

[Cliff Green <dinonaut@emerytelcom.net>]

Dear Donna and List,

    China's standing policy, is that any antiquity taken out of the country
by private entities, without government consent, is considered contraband.
It doesn't matter whether it's Ming Dynasty terra cotta soldiers, or
feathered dinosaur fossils.Why chinese fossils are sold publically in the US
and other Western countries, is a damned good question. Unfortunately, there
is no damned good answer.
    Any Chinese national caught smuggling artifacts out of China can at the
very least expect a lengthy prison term. At worst, they get to star in the
nationally televised exacutions each and every thursday.
    The reason that you see so many chinese fossils here in the US, is
because wealthy collectors in the West are willing to pay outrageously for
them. That is why third world citizens are willing to smuggle artifacts and
risk prosecution. Money.  This is the same reason that we are losing most of
the world's remaining mega fauna.

Cliff
----- Original Message -----
From: <Kimba4evr@aol.com>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 1:16 PM
Subject: Re: Australia Seizes Illegal Chinese Fossils


> Does China ban the export of all fossils?  I've certainly seen alot of
them being sold in the US.  If it is illegal to export them how can they be
sold so openly?
>
> Donna