Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects Confirms a Separate Property Status for Cultural Treasures

Abstract

This article will discuss a separate body of property law, which recognizes cultural property as a special category of property and seeks to mitigate, the risk that cultural property may be wasted due to indifference, destruction, theft or illegal exportation. Additionally, this article will review the international conventions on the protection of cultural property, emphasizing the recent UNIDROIT Convention, as well as consider domestic law to determine the legislative and judicial means that exist to protect cultural treasures and, in some circumstances, to restore cultural property to countries of origin.