Ivory trinkets, trapped in glass, prepare for combat on a red-white checkered board. A plaque declares that this set mirrors the feudal society's order in medieval Europe: the king wields a sword and the bishop dons church vestments.
Impressive isn't only the intricate craftsmanship, but also the extraordinary methods of discovery. Carved from walrus tusks and walrus ivory, these artifacts were likely crafted around 800 years ago in Norway. It's likely that they were buried by a merchant traveling along the trading routes from Scandinavia to Ireland.
The museum boasts that these pieces are a "integral part" of its collection, playing a "integral role" in showcasing the history of cultural achievements. Neil MacGregor, former Director of the British Museum, included this collection in his 2010 book, A History of the World in 100 Objects.
Ebony has held a central role in the production and trade of valuable furniture, objects, and artifacts since antiquity. However, in the last half-century, the global demand for ivory sparked elephant poaching in Africa and Asia, pushing these creatures to the brink of extinction.
According to the British Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, in less than a decade, around 145,000 elephants have been poached purely for their ivory. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that there are only 415,000 African elephants remaining. The dramatic reduction in their population has prompted several countries to amend their ivory trade laws – not only for raw ivory, but also for antiques.
A crucial distinction
Countries worldwide have discrepant ivory regulations within their own borders. In October 2016, CITES members recommended that nations close domestic ivory markets rather than regulate them, arguing that banned ivory could mistakenly be smuggled as legitimate antiquities.
All 183 CITES nations agree that each country "should urgently take all necessary legal, regulatory, and enforcement measures to close its domestic markets for commercial trade in raw and worked ivory."
In 1975, France was the first European country to impose strict ivory trade restrictions. In July 2016, the United States introduced a near-total ivory sales ban at the federal level. Hong Kong, a significant retail market for ivory and a crucial transit point for Chinese mainland sales, has announced plans to ban ivory sales within five years. India also enacted nearly complete ban.
China, the world's largest ivory market, announced plans to halt ivory processing and sales for commercial purposes by the end of 2017.
Britain will begin deliberating on proposed ivory sales ban starting in March, with implementation due in September this year. The proposed ban would cover all items containing ivory produced between 1947 and present, while trade in antiquities pre-dating 1947 would still be allowed.
In the coming months, the government will consult with environmental groups, dealers, and industry experts on the specifics of the ban, a topic that remains contentious.
Environmentalists argue that the post-1947 ban is not sufficient, as the UK is significant transit country for both legal and illegal ivory sales. They claim that a complete ban would deal a significant blow to the international illegal ivory trade. They argue that the proposed ban does not implement a comprehensive ban, as the Conservatives had promised in their last election manifesto.
Antiquities dealers and museums support efforts to protect elephants and curtail the illegal trade, but argue that ivory is part of British cultural heritage and that a blanket ban would punish dealers and deplete public collections.
On February 6, a gathering of parliamentarians and a crowd of spectators met in Westminster to discuss the issue. More than 107,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the closure of Britain's ivory market, which is sufficient to trigger a parliamentary debate.
The meeting recalled a sense of déjà vu. Just two months prior, parliamentarians from all major parties had convened in Westminster to debate similar issues.
Conservative MP Victoria Borwick stated the gathering's significance, reflecting widespread concern for elephants' fate. Borwick, UK MP for Kensington (home to the Victoria and Albert Museum) and chair of the British Antiques Dealers Association (BADA), stated that museums in her constituency are concerned about a blanket ivory sales ban, which would mean museums would no longer receive gifts from private collectors and obsolete objects themselves would be affected.
“A complete ban on the sale of our cultural heritage would mean that items like an inlaid tea box from the 18th century are left unattended in cardboard boxes on lofts,” she said in an email.
“We're not mediocre people”
BADA Secretary-General Mark Dodgson supported the post-1947 ivory ban. Dodgson argues that it's the trade in new "jewelry-like" ivory pieces – Buddha or elephant carvings – that fuels poaching. He believes there's a distinction between primitive, often online-sold carvings and culturally significant art.
"We're not going to destroy the city of Bristol because of its profits from slavery," he said. "Is it really wrong to think that African elephants could be saved from extinction through the destruction or suspension of the ivory trade?"
Environmentalists argue that the sale of ancient British ivory lends illegality a veneer of legitimacy. According to the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) of the World Wildlife Fund, more than 30% of ivory exports from the EU come from the UK, making the UK a crucial transit country for illegal ivory.
"Despite our feelings about it, our markets are involved in elephant ivory trade," said Charlie Mayhew, co-founder and CEO of Tusk, an anti-poaching NGO supported by Prince William. "Our biggest concern now is the evidence that unscrupulous dealers and traders are exploiting the 1947 rules to sell modern ivory as pre-1947 ivory, even though it's not."
Tusk, alongside other NGOs, has called for a near-total ivory ban similar to the one enacted in the US. This would halt the ivory trade, require the registration, inspection, and certification of legal antiquities and artifacts in a centralized system, and make exceptions for appropriate art.
"We're not trying to destroy or exclude genuine antiquities, hundreds of years old, and of significant cultural value," Mayhew said. "We're not small-minded people."
In December, British legislators came under renewed pressure, following China's announcement that it would close its domestic ivory market by the end of the year.
Next year, the UK will host the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference, an international conference on combating wildlife trade and conservation. Mayhew said that it would be challenging for the UK to uphold a credible leadership role in wildlife conservation if it does not enforce adequate laws itself.
"If the UK wants to take a leading role in global wildlife conservation, the time has come," he said.
