ANCHISE Demo and Workshop in the Port of Burgas, Bulgaria | 21-22 May, 2025

The two-day ANCHISE Workshop and Demonstration held in the port of Burgas (Bulgaria) on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 May 2025 brought together a diverse group of experts from archaeology, law enforcement, the legal sector, and technology, all united by a common goal: combating the illicit trafficking of cultural goods.

Throughout the event, participants engaged in rich discussions, demonstrations, and practical case studies that highlighted the innovative approaches needed to safeguard Europe’s precious cultural heritage.

The first day was dedicated to a workshop aiming to strengthen collaboration against illicit trafficking of cultural goods. The opening session set a strong tone for the event, beginning with Véronique Chankowski (École française d’Athènes-EFA, ANCHISE Coordinator), who warmly welcomed attendees and emphasized the critical importance of collective mobilization against cultural trafficking. Her introductory remarks framed the event as a vital opportunity for strengthening international cooperation. Benjamin Omer (EFA) and Marine Lechenault (ENSP) provided a detailed overview of the workshop's objectives, also introducing the demonstration.

Todor Chobanov, Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Culture, took the floor to stress the central role of continuous professional training and advanced technical tools in the fight against trafficking networks. He also extended warm greetings to the international partners, underscoring Bulgaria’s commitment to collaboration. In his address, Joël Meyer, the French Ambassador in Bulgaria, highlighted the essential nature of both bilateral and multilateral cooperation, noting that criminal networks have become increasingly sophisticated and cross borders, exploiting legal and technological gaps. He called for the full adoption of the tools developed within the ANCHISE project to establish new professional standards, emphasizing that safeguarding Europe’s cultural heritage must be a clear priority for public policies.

The following sessions deepened the dialogue, revealing the practical challenges and interdisciplinary efforts at the heart of this fight. GDBOP provided a comprehensive talk about mapping of trafficking routes in Bulgaria, setting the context for a series of case studies presented by archaeologists and law enforcement officials. Their shared experiences illustrated the benefits of collaboration between scientific experts and investigators, demonstrating how combining archaeological knowledge with police work can lead to successful outcomes.

The legal aspects were addressed with equal rigor by the specialized unit against illicit trafficking representative and Kremena Kolitsova from the Ruse Prosecutor’s Office. They explained that Bulgarian legislation criminalizes unauthorized archaeological excavations, failure to report cultural finds, and the illegal sale or attempted export of cultural goods. Prosecutors often face complex cases involving multiple items, requiring expert testimony to authenticate objects and prove criminal intent. The session revealed the intricate legal strategies used by offenders, who frequently claim to be searching for meteorites or lost metal objects as a way to avoid prosecution. In many cases, suspects are found with valuable artifacts and digital evidence showing systematic trafficking activity. Of particular concern is the involvement of construction workers and the use of heavy machinery in illegal excavations, often concealed by the reluctance of companies to report finds for fear of halting work.

The workshop also delved into the archaeological perspective, with Hristo Popov from the National Archaeological Institute sharing reflections on Bulgaria’s rich cultural heritage and institutional frameworks. He recounted how the establishment of a centralized archive system has historically supported heritage protection, though he acknowledged growing challenges posed by looting and trafficking, particularly due to the rise of private collections outside official control. Despite the increase in universities offering archaeology programs, Popov noted a worrying decline in student involvement and training quality. Technical expertise in detecting forgeries was another critical focus. Rositsa Manova demonstrated advanced methods used to differentiate genuine artifacts from counterfeits, including specialized lighting techniques, microscopy, and ultraviolet fluorescence photography, which reveal underlying layers and inconsistencies invisible to the naked eye.

Alexandar Portalsky complemented this by presenting concrete examples of fakes encountered in the field, such as bronze chainmail with incorrect enamel details, glued gold jewelry, and artificially aged oil lamps that show no signs of actual use. These cases vividly illustrated the sophistication of forgers and the necessity of expert analysis.

Anchoring these efforts, Axel Kerep (PARCS) introduced the digital tools developed by the ANCHISE project. He showcased platforms for data integration, automated extraction, and cross-referencing that promise to revolutionize operational work. These tools are designed not only to be interoperable with institutional databases but also to be user-friendly for law enforcement, enabling a more informed and agile response. They can be, among others, an opportunity to address the routes from smugglers to sellers.

The second day was busy with the Demonstration of ANCHISE Technological Tools. opened with a renewed focus on operational challenges and real-world applications. Benjamin Omer and Marine Lechenault welcomed participants before the Regional Burgas Border Police shared local context regarding illicit trafficking of cultural goods.

One of the event’s highlights was the presentation of the ICCS tool, ART-CH, a multi-database analytical platform that aggregates information on cultural objects, sellers, and judicial cases. It allows investigators to visualize trends, track value fluctuations, and map geographic data, enabling a detailed understanding of trafficking networks.

Then the Arte-Fact app was introduced, offering an innovative solution for recognizing and analyzing seized cultural objects. Participants had hands-on access to the platform using sample artifacts loaned/brought by Bulgarian museums, sparking discussions about the importance of data sharing, image quality, and collaborative workflows. Finally, the KIKU-Mon system an automated monitoring tool for online marketplaces, highlighted its potential for surveillance across multiple languages and platforms.

An online presentation of KIKU-Mon tool, developed by Fraunhofer, took also place.

The workshop closed with an interactive focus group, where participants reflected on the insights gained and share impressions on the tools’ workshops. Mariana Vasilache (University Lyon 2) delivered the conclusive remarks.

This event marked a significant milestone for the ANCHISE project and laid a solid foundation for future collaboration, knowledge sharing, and policy development aimed at protecting Europe’s cultural heritage for generations to come.