The 'Cobannus Hoard 'affair

The PITCHER project (Erasmus+ Programme, 2021-2024) designed and tested a set of Open Educational Resources focused on improving the capacity of teachers and educators in preparing new learning experiences to support the fight against archaeological looting and illicit trafficking of cultural goods. The story of the Cobannus hoard is particularly representative of the complex phenomenon of archaeological looting and illicit trafficking in cultural property. It combines metal-detector looting, illicit trafficking, provenance research, international legislation (with the question of the return of works located in the USA) and archaeological excavations organised after the looter repents, to document the context after the event.This real-life case is the starting point for a simulation in which middle and high school students play the role of experts (archaeologists, historians, curators, lawyers, specialised police officers and customs officers) in order to help a judge (played by the teacher) to justify the return to France of works held in the USA. This resource can be easily adapted to suit the age of the pupils and the educational objectives of the teacher. Its very simple principle can also be completely adapted to other cases of archaeological looting or theft of works of art.