I recieved this from another list and am posting it as received, since I think that it should be in the interest of all people of culture. ============================== I'm writing to you as the deputy chairman for the Danish Society of Biblical Archaeology. We have from time to time observed the ongoing destructions of un-investigated archaeological remains from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I know this can be a hot issue, but I do want to raise it in a quiet and nonprovocative way in this context. The reason for this address is that we would ask you as an individual and as the institutions, you represent, to raise the problem of these destructions of archaeological material and put it on the agenda of the World Heritage Conference, which is due to be held in Budapest late June 2002. What has been destroyed, can of course no longer be re-established. However, future destructions might possibly be avoided, if this Conference could voice a clear protest against religiously and politically motivated destructions of archaeological remains, both in Jerusalem and elsewhere. And Arab authorities in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories might be motivated to show more care about non-Islamic remains, if a leading authority for preservation of the World Cultural Heritage could react expressly against the last three years of damage in connection with the Temple Mount. The whole world raised a sharp protest against the recent Taliban destructions of unique Buddha figures. And yet those figures were well known, scientifically described and thoroughly analysed. But in case of the Temple Mount, archaeological remains that never have been investigated at all, are just thrown away or given over to the Black Market. The Danish Society of Biblical Archaeology is only a tiny organization. Our voice will easily be disregarded. Therefore we appeal to you to join us for a common voice in raising this issue to the Conference in Budapest. Yours sincerely Knud W. Skov, deputy chairman of the Danish Socity of Biblical Archaeology M. theol./Youth-college-teacher ([log in to unmask]) Hedem=F8llevej 29A, DK - 8850 Bjerringbro, tlf.: (+45)86685090 Se more abt. SBA and find a link for the ongoing destructions an the Temple Mount through <http://www.sba-dk.dk/>http://www.sba-dk.dk --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Yigal Levin Dept. of Philosophy and Religion University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 615 McCallie Avenue Chattanooga TN 37403-2598 U.S.A.