Artifacts and cave formations policy

The following are not allowed:

  • Items obtained from government or protected land
  • Items from historical grave sites
  • Items from shipwrecks
  • Looted or stolen goods. For a list of the cultural goods most vulnerable to illicit trafficking, refer to the International Council of Museums' Red Lists Database.

Artifacts, fossils, and relics must:

  • Be authentic and listed in the appropriate category
  • Follow all government regulations

Replicas must:

  • Clearly state that the item is a replica in the title and description

Antiquities must:

  • Include the provenance or ownership history of the item
  • A photo or scanned image of an official document including both the item's country of origin, and the legal details of the sale
  • Be approved for import or export

The following cave formations are not allowed:

  • Speleothems, stalactites, and stalagmites obtained from caves on government land

Government survey markers must include a photo or scanned image of the document proving that the government has transferred ownership to the seller.

The following Native American are not allowed:

  • Funeral objects placed with the dead
  • Grave markers
  • Human remains
  • Sacred items used by Native American religious leaders in ceremonial practices, such as ceremonial masks and pray sticks

Native American arts, crafts, and jewelry must follow all government regulations.

Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, any item described as Alaska Native, American Indian, or Native American must be made by an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized tribe or by someone certified as an Indian artisan by a recognized Indian tribe.

As the sale of certain artifacts, grave-related items, Native American arts and crafts, and other related items is legally protected, there may be additional requirements in order to sell them. The information on this page can help assist sellers trade lawfully. We cannot assess the authenticity of specific artifacts or the legality of their sale. Sellers are responsible for ensuring that their transactions are lawful.

More information on the regulations regarding the sale of these items is available in the following links:

This policy reflects regulations that have been set by various government agencies in the U.S, including the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).

For more information on the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage goods, please visit the UNESCO Database of National Cultural Heritage Laws.

As part of the fight against the trafficking of stolen works of art, INTERPOL encourages not only law enforcement agencies but also art and antiques dealers, owners of works of art and the general public to play an active role in the exchange of information about stolen works of art:

More information and resources are available on the Cultural Heritage Crime section of the INTERPOL website.