A classification unearthed: the history of palaeontological objects as cultural property in international law

Abstract Fossils are an overlooked yet threatened category of cultural property. This article traces how they became protected by international law under the League of Nations. Using archival materials and historical context, the article shows how fossils acquired value through a set of scientific, cultural, and political practices that prompted their special legal protection, in a story illuminating valuation processes in international law.