London

In the money: illegal trading in Roman artefacts, such as these coins, is rife on the Internet. Credit: R. T. NOWITZ/CORBIS

The British Museum in London is negotiating with the Internet auction company eBay in an attempt to stem the illegal sale of archaeological finds.

The rise of Internet auction houses has made it easier to sell archaeological treasures. These are often ancient coins or pieces of jewellery, worth anything from tens to a few hundred pounds. But all such finds unearthed in England or Wales after September 1997 should, by law, be registered and viewed by experts. Even if museum officials decide not to buy the item, experts say it is crucial to record what is found. “Some people may think that their finds are unimportant, but we still need to know about them,” says Michael Lewis, deputy head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme at the British Museum.

Museum officials estimate that five potential ‘treasure items’ go unreported every week. A member of staff now scans eBay every day for suspect sales.

Most other European countries have stricter laws governing amateur archaeology, yet these too are being flouted. In Germany, it is illegal for anyone not working on an authorized site to dig up artefacts. But ancient items are still finding their way onto eBay.

“These people know where the sites of archaeological interest are, and they are going there with metal detectors,” says Wilfried Menghin, director of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History in Berlin. Staff at the Berlin museum have bought suspect relics on eBay in an attempt to trap the sellers, but have so far been unable to gather enough evidence to secure a conviction.

The British Museum wants eBay to help prevent illegal transactions, or at least to put messages on the site reminding people of their responsibilities. But eBay counters that the museum is probably better placed to keep an eye on things; the auction site's staff say they will take down any item that the museum reports to the police.