Word of the almost simultaneously discovery of the bone box known as the ?James Ossuary? and the Yehoash inscription, from an unknown source (not from an methodical excavation), together with the emotions raised by the finds and extensive public interest amongst Jews and Christians, obliged the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the body responsible for all archaeological activities in Israel, to take action, to examine the finds and formulate a position on the subject. The IAA agreed to a short exhibit of the ossuary in Canada.

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Dr. Jeffrey R. Chadwick's essay, "Indications that the "Brother of Jesus" Inscription is a Forgery," was an early scholarly analysis of the so-called James ossuary inscription, written within a few months of the Ossuary's announcement to the world. Dr. Chadwick first submitted the essay for publication to Hershel Shanks' magazine, Biblical Archaeology Review. Although the magazine turned down the essay, Mr. Shanks argued against it in his book The Brother of Jesus, which he co-wrote with Dr. Ben Witherington III. Dr. Chadwick's essay has never been released to the public, so Bible and Interpretation offers it to the world here for the first time.

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The ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums has been prepared by the International Council of Museums. It is the statement of ethics for museums referred to in the ICOM Statutes. The Code reflects principles generally accepted by the international museum community. Membership in ICOM and the payment of the annual subscription to ICOM are an affirmation of the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums.

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Vever's trove contains a number of important Arabic works, almost all the great classical Persian texts, and hitherto unknown manuscripts and paintings from the major artistic centers of the Middle Eastern world and Moghul India. In all, there are nearly 500 items: paintings, calligraphy, decorative bookbindings, illuminated pages from ancient Qur'ans, folios and complete texts, and 15 Persian miniatures dating from the 11th to the mid-19th centuries, painted with pigments made from malachite, lapis lazuli, cinnabar, gold and silver.

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The term ?underwater cultural heritage? (or UCH for short) refers to all remains of human activities lying on the seabed, on riverbeds, or at the bottom of lakes. It includes shipwrecks and other objects lost at sea, as well as prehistoric sites, sunken towns, and ancient ports that were once on the dry land and were eventually submerged due to climatic or geological changes. UCH forms an integral part of our common archaeological and historical heritage, and can give us invaluable information about cultural and economic contacts, migration and trade patterns, and production and export. In this paper I will briefly outline the current state of international law for the protection of UCH. I will concentrate on the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which is at present the only international agreement specifically directed at the protection of UCH (O?Keefe 2002). However, since this Convention has not yet entered into force (and may not do so for some time), I will also look at other legal instruments that bear on the protection of UCH (available at http://www.unesco.org).

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In March 1999 the Council for the Prevention of Art Theft (CoPAT) introduced two codes of due diligence for use by art dealers and auctioneers. They were prepared in response to concerns mounting about the theft of art and other cultural material and its subsequent movement through the market. The high incidence of theft and the circulation of stolen material erodes public confidence and discourages potential purchasers, and it also generates financial risks. Dishonest dealers are few and far between but even an honest dealer, or collector or museum, may lose money if caught inadvertently in possession of stolen goods. Thus all sectors of the art market stand to benefit from a reduction in criminal activity, and it is against this background that the new CoPAT Codes should be considered.

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Once in a while a television programme can make such an impression that things actually change. We saw this in the world of illicit antiquities when Peter Watson's 1997 expos? of dodgy dealing at Sotheby's led to a multimillion pound review of the auction house's methods, and to the end of their sales of classical antiquities in London. Now we have seen it again, in Sweden, because in February Swedish television's Channel 10 screened an equally powerful investigation entitled On the Trail of the Tomb Robbers. It made an impact on the general public, dealers and museums, and even the government. Because of the programme, codes of conduct have been drawn up, policies changed, international investigations launched and the Swedish government has begun the process of preparing legislation which would lead to their signing the 1970 UNESCO convention.

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The State of Florida Archaeological Guidelines specify the archaeological techniques and guidelines to be used within the territorial limits of the State of Florida. These guidelines were attached to all 2001 salvage contracts between Mel Fisher Center, Inc. and the State of Florida with the exception of the contract for the S-32 area. Last year, Mel Fisher Center, Inc. requested the reforming of the Archaeological Guidelines Committee for the purpose of updating the guidelines to reflect advances in technology and archaeological techniques. Due to this request the State of Florida Department of Historical Resources has revised the guidelines.