While world attention focuses on the recent liberation of Palmyra and devastation the Islamic State caused to that ancient site in Syria during a lengthy occupation, looting and trafficking of antiquities is on the rise throughout the Middle East.

Social dislocation and economic crises in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings have increased the incentive for ordinary people to pilfer precious artifacts in Egypt, Yemen and Libya. At the same time, groups such as IS and al-Qaeda are profiting from trafficking these items through organized networks primarily to private collectors in Europe, Asia and the United States.

Monica Hanna, an Egyptian archaeologist, told a Washington think tank via Skype on April 7 that the security crisis accompanying the 2011 revolution against President Hosni Mubarak triggered a “gold digging fever in Egypt.” While the situation has improved somewhat, she said, archaeological sites are still not under control.

Organized gangs are looking for specific types of objects that run the gamut from pre-dynastic treasures to Coptic manuscripts, Islamic art and pieces from the era of the 19th century Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali, she said.