I've been seriously trying to expand out of Egypt, so I thought a broad survey of archaeology since the revolutions began might yield information outside the typical historical center. According to Archaeology magazine, Libya has seen looting of centuries old artifacts. Reports of damage to the Roman sites of Leptis Magna proved false, however thousands of artifacts have apparently been smuggled out through Egypt.
The more I read about how antiquities are being handled in the aftermath of revolutions, I think it is indicative of the strength of the government. Take Egypt, where antiquity management seems to be returning to normal, while Libya is still having difficulties. I know there are more important reasons for governments to become stable, like national security, legitimacy, protection of rights, healthy television industry, etc., but I would hope protecting artifacts which could be valuable to the economy or national pride should be secured.
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