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24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Protection

Alerts by country

Consult the active alerts of a State: their breakdown, the types of property most affected and national contacts.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 4 min read

The geography of disappearances

Two Boats with Female Mourners (c. 667–647 BCE)
Two Boats with Female Mourners (c. 667–647 BCE)

Active alerts concern fifty-four countries. Some are hit by archaeological looting, others by thefts from museums or private collections. Browsing by country helps to understand these dynamics and to target vigilance.

Each country page shows the number of alerts, the types of property, recent trends and the national focal point. The data are updated every day.

This page describes the method, how to read the maps and their practical use.

  • Countries
  • Map
  • Data

Alerts by country in figures

54Countries concerned
1,920Active alerts
9Countries with more than 80 alerts
61National focal points

Source: OIMAP Heritage Protection Department.

Breakdown

Countries with more than 100 alerts18%
From 50 to 100 alerts24%
From 10 to 50 alerts38%
Fewer than 10 alerts20%

Countries by number of alerts.

Reading the alerts map

The map shows each country according to the intensity of alerts: the darker the shade, the higher the number of active records. By clicking, one gets the list of records, the country's statistics and its focal point's contact details.

A filter distinguishes the country of disappearance (where the work was stolen) from the country of last known location, when it has been identified. This distinction is important for cross-border investigations.

Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
Arch in Farmyard, Swansea, Calvert Richard Jones (1845)
Arch in Farmyard, Swansea, Calvert Richard Jones (1845)
Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)
Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)

What the figures say… and do not say

A large number of alerts in a country does not mean it is more dangerous: it may reflect a better reporting system, a larger collection or closer partnership with OIMAP. Conversely, the absence of alerts may conceal a failure to report.

OIMAP therefore encourages a combined reading of alerts, national activity reports and trafficking reports. The figures are used not to rank States but to direct aid and cooperation.

Practical uses

A customs service checking flows from a country can consult that country's alerts to know which objects are sought. An auction house receiving a piece from a given country knows which categories are at risk.

Researchers use the data to study the evolution of thefts and looting in connection with conflicts, economic crises or periods of legislative reform. An anonymised dataset is available under an open licence.

Open data

The dataset of alerts by country is published each quarter under an open licence. It contains, for each country, the number of active records by category of property and by year of disappearance, with no information that could identify victims.

Academics, journalists and associations use it to document looting phenomena. OIMAP simply asks that publications mention the source and the download date.

Indicative breakdown by type of country

Four country profiles
ProfileProperty most concernedExample of measure
Countries with rich archaeological heritageExcavated objects, sculpturesSite monitoring
Countries with museum collectionsPaintings, art objectsMuseum security
Transit countriesAll typesCustoms controls
Destination countriesAll typesOperators' due diligence

Landmarks

  1. Alerts map

    Launch.

  2. Filter by country of last location

    New data point.

  3. Open dataset

    Open licence.

  4. 54 countries

    Wider coverage.

A map is not a ranking

Talatat: Nefertiti Offers to the Aten (1353–1347 BCE)
Talatat: Nefertiti Offers to the Aten (1353–1347 BCE)
Chemin de fer de Toulouse à Bayonne. Pont de l'Aran (en trois arches de 17m d'ouverture chacune). Situation des travaux au 21 juillet 1861, Édouard Baldus (1861)
Chemin de fer de Toulouse à Bayonne. Pont de l'Aran (en trois arches de 17m d'ouverture chacune). Situation des travaux au 21 juillet 1861, Édouard Baldus (1861)
The Ghat of Dasaswa Medh, Bénarès, Louis-Théophile Marie Rousselet (1865–68, published 1869–70)
The Ghat of Dasaswa Medh, Bénarès, Louis-Théophile Marie Rousselet (1865–68, published 1869–70)

Country of disappearance or country of location

Plaque (1500s–1600s)

Country of disappearance

Where the work was stolen
  • Always known
  • Determines investigative jurisdiction
  • Makes it possible to contact the focal point

Main reference.

Mit Rahina Ware Vessel (200–100 BCE)

Country of location

Where the work may be
  • Sometimes unknown
  • Useful for seizures
  • May change

Complementary information.

Using alerts by country

  1. Choose

    Select a country.

  2. Filter

    Refine by type of property.

  3. Read

    Examine the records.

  4. Contact

    Reach the focal point.

  5. Follow up

    Subscribe to the country.

An operator's reflexes

A customs officer

Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
« When a lorry arrives from a high-risk region, I look at that country's alerts. It tells me what to watch for in the boxes. »
Captain Hassan El Fassi, customs officer

Geographical vocabulary

Country of disappearance
State where the property was stolen.
Transit countries
State through which the property passes.
Destination countries
State where the property is sold.
Focal point
OIMAP's national correspondent.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find the map?

On this page and in the Active alerts section.

Can I download the data?

Yes, an anonymised dataset is available.

Are the records translated?

Yes, in three languages.

How do I reach a focal point?

Useful documents

Contacts

Architectural Conference (c. 1622)
Architectural Conference (c. 1622)
Heritage Protection DepartmentParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 03 00protection@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

See by type of property

The Map Maker (c. 1843–45)

Another way in.

By type of property
Image credits (16)
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