According to the RAE, "latrocinio" means «the actions of a thief or someone who defrauds severely» (Consulted 02/18/2025). When applied to the realm of property, this term refers to the theft of artworks and cultural artifacts, either for illegal sale, destruction, or illicit acquisition by private collectors.
Throughout history, these crimes have affected both museums as well as private collections, significantly impacting the cultural heritage. In 2015, Spain's Penal Code incorporated the crime of plundering as a measure to combat this issue. However, the looting of cultural assets remains a reality. The theft of art not only represents the loss of material objects but also the disappearance of an irreplaceable historical and cultural legacy. In many cases, stolen pieces are never recovered, depriving countries of origin of essential fragments of their identity (Durbán et al., 2022).
A debatable example is therefore the pieces that the British Museum holds from the Parthenon (Orden, 2003), which Greece has repeatedly claimed and been denied. Wouldn't it be logical for these pieces, taken by Lord Elgin under questionable circumstances, to be returned to their original context, where they can best be understood and appreciated?
However, it is undeniable that these types of practices are always linked to their time and context. Judging the past with present eyes is a complex exercise requiring reflection and analysis beyond mere moral condemnation.
In ancient times, this practice of theft was carried out through temple raids, palace invasions, and city sackings during invasions. An example is the conquest of Jerusalem by the Roman Empire, depicted in the Arch of Titus, where it shows how Roman soldiers displayed their war booty, such as objects from the Temple of Jerusalem (Artus, 2006, pp. 45-48). This was really no more than a symbol of imperial opulence and power over new territories.
During the Middle Ages, latrocinio was linked to the theft of religious objects, as churches and cathedrals housed treasures of gold, silver, and sacred art. The rise of pilgrimages drew even more attention to these assets, since relics of saints and martyrs became symbols of great spiritual and economic value. It is worth noting that, in many cases, it was the monarchy itself who made donations to temples, consolidating their wealth and prestige.
As can be seen, this practice has persisted throughout all civilizations, not being exclusive to a particular era. From antiquity to the present, the plundering and looting of cultural assets have been constants in human history. This phenomenon led to the creation of international treaties to protect heritage, such as the 1970 UNESCO Convention, which seeks to curb illicit trafficking of cultural property with the aim of preventing illicit traffic of cultural property. On this same issue, archaeologist and researcher María Alcaide Ramírez delves further in another article published in this journal (Alcaide Ramírez, 2022) .
Following the trail of great thefts, we can highlight one of the most famous. Beyond its impact on literature or cinema, the theft of The Mona Lisa in 1911 was a real case perpetrated by an Italian thief who stole the work from the Louvre. Eventually, in 1913, the painting was recovered and returned to its place. Others, however, have not had such a happy ending.
However, not all cases have had such a fortunate outcome. During the Second World War, the Nazis carried out systematic plundering of artworks in occupied territories, amassing a vast collection of pieces for the Führermuseum project. Many of these works have been recovered, but others remain missing.
More recently, in 2003, during the invasion of Iraq, numerous archaeological sites were looted and the National Museum of Baghdad suffered the theft of over 15,000 pieces, many of which have yet to be recovered. In many cases, these works were not only stolen but also destroyed for ideological reasons, as certain groups considered them incompatible with their beliefs.
Today, the theft and illicit trafficking of cultural assets continue to be a serious problem. While international efforts have allowed the recovery of many pieces, black market networks remain active, fueled by the interest of private collectors.
Currently, combating cultural plundering is an international priority. Stricter regulations, agreements between countries, and global databases for tracking stolen works have been implemented. However, awareness and education play a key role in preserving heritage, as art and history belong to all of humanity.
In conclusion, plundering not only causes material losses but also losses of identity, memory, and history. Protecting cultural heritage is a global responsibility, and every effort counts towards preventing us from losing essential pieces of our past.
Bibliography
Alcaide Ramírez, M. (2022). The plundering: the great enemy of archaeology. ArqueoTimes. /articulos/el-expolio-el-gran-enemigo-de-la-arqueologia/
Artus, P. (2006). Art and Architecture of the Roman Empire. Bellona Books.
Durbán, L. P., Romero, Z. R., Lebrón, M. G., García-Lozano, S. T., Lazari, A., Yates, D., Berzina, D., Lerma, C. G., de Pedro Esteban, M., Morant, J. J. P., & Gómez, M. J. A. (2022). The plundering of cultural assets. Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Huelva.
Orden, B. R. (2003). Plunder: The Parthenon marbles. Historia y Vida, 419, 18-24.
Real Academia Española. (2024). Plundering. In Diccionario de la lengua española (23rd ed.). Retrieved June 11, 2025 from https://dle.rae.es/latrocinio
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