01-05-2018, 09:20 PM
I really must weigh in on Mr Howard's side -- you are in extremely dangerous territory. I should really like to beg you to return it to Slovenia (to the local museum as Mr Lazic suggested?). Incidentally, they will be able to date it and identify it properly.
I sadly can't tell you if you will escape punishment as I believe that unfortunately ''ignorantia legis neminem excusat'', ignorance that one was committing a crime does not serve as an excuse in the eyes of the law. I am sure you did not mean to smuggle anything, and with the Schengen Treaty you may not have been searched as you crossed the borders (though I would have thought it would have been detected if you went by plane?), but unfortunately the law sees you as a smuggler.
Nevertheless, if you do turn it in and cast yourself on the mercy of the museum you might. They will perhaps be able to advise you what to do. In any case, it is the right thing to do -- if everyone kept the artefacts they found, the progress of archaeology would be retarded considerably.
I sadly can't tell you if you will escape punishment as I believe that unfortunately ''ignorantia legis neminem excusat'', ignorance that one was committing a crime does not serve as an excuse in the eyes of the law. I am sure you did not mean to smuggle anything, and with the Schengen Treaty you may not have been searched as you crossed the borders (though I would have thought it would have been detected if you went by plane?), but unfortunately the law sees you as a smuggler.
Nevertheless, if you do turn it in and cast yourself on the mercy of the museum you might. They will perhaps be able to advise you what to do. In any case, it is the right thing to do -- if everyone kept the artefacts they found, the progress of archaeology would be retarded considerably.
Patrick J. Gray
'' Now. Close your eyes. It's but a short step to the boat, a short pull across the river.''
''And then?''
''And then, I promise you, you'll dream a different story altogether''
From ''I, Claudius'', by J. Pulman after R. Graves.
'' Now. Close your eyes. It's but a short step to the boat, a short pull across the river.''
''And then?''
''And then, I promise you, you'll dream a different story altogether''
From ''I, Claudius'', by J. Pulman after R. Graves.
