by Dakar, Senegal (AP)-is the largest piece of Mars that has ever been found on Earth-a 25-kilogram meteorite with £ 54, which brought in more than $ 5 million last month and set up a world record.
But in the West African nation of Niger, where the rust-red rock in the Sahara desert was discovered, officials have initiated an investigation by the so-called “illegal international trade” and claimed that it may have been smuggled out of the country.
Here is what you need to know about the meteorite and the legal dispute:
As it was found
Sotheby’s said that the rock called NWA 16788 was blown by a massive asteroid strike from the surface of Mars and traveled 140 million miles (225 million kilometers).
According to the auction house, a meteorite hunter was discovered by a meteorite hunter in the northwest in the northwest in the northwest. His identity was not announced. The identity of the buyer in the last month was also not.
The meteorite hunt grows in dry Sahara countries like Niger. Although meteorites can fall all over Earth, the Sahara has become part of the favorable climate for its preservation.
Hunters often look for space rocks that can be sold to collectors or scientists. The rarest and precious are from Mars and the moon.
According to the Heritage Academic Journal, the skirt was sold to an international dealer before it ended up in a private galley in Italy. A team of scientists from the University of Florence examined the rocks last year to learn more about its structure and where it fell from the earth, according to the publication.
The meteorite was also briefly exhibited in Rome before it was seen last month during the auction in New York in New York.
Why Niger examined
After the sale, Niger asked about how the meteorite was sold in auction.
The government of Niger announced an investigation last month to determine the circumstances of the discovery and sale of the meteorite, and said in a statement that it was similar to “illegal international human trafficking”.
Last week, President Abdourahaman Tiani exported “gemstones, half -goods stones and meteorites nationwide” to ensure their traceability.
Sotheby’s said in a statement sent to the Associated Press, which the meteorite was exported from Niger and transported according to all relevant international procedures.
“As with everything we sell, all the necessary documentation in every phase of his journey in accordance with proven procedures and the requirements of the countries involved were okay.” Read the explanation.
The authorities in Niger did not respond to AP questions.
What international law says
While there are global agreements to regulate the trade in cultural artifacts, there is ambiguity as to whether meteorites are covered.
Patty Gerstenblith, a lawyer for cultural heritage and expert in illegal trade, said that meteorites can qualify as cultural property as part of the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Property.
Gerstenblith said, however, that Niger had to prove that he had the meteorite and that it was stolen because illegal export from the country does not make the meteorites illegal in the USA
“If the meteorite has not been stolen and it was properly declared when it was imported into the USA, it does not seem that Niger can restore the meteorites,” she told the AP.
Some countries, such as Morocco, one of the leading sources for meteorites on the international market, require refund when the objects are discovered on their territory. However, the enforcement was a challenge due to the huge desert areas and informal trading networks.
