
Three Polaroid images from the confiscated Giacomo Medici archive which present an antiquity broken into pieces.
The introduction of Polaroid’s SX-70 with its self-developing photos gave antiquities looters a convenient and efficient tool for shopping their freshly plundered antiquities. The camera’s instant photographs allowed looters to document stolen artefacts in their possession and to share the images with potential buyers, like in these pictures, just after the objects were removed from their original location. The portability and immediacy of Polaroid cameras meant that looters could operate discreetly in remote or sensitive areas, capturing high-quality images of artefacts without the risk of exposure at photo processing labs. Artefacts photographed with dirty on them, also served as a calling card of authenticity, allowing buyers in the network to make a decision about a purchase solely based on photographs.
But like the digital photos of today, which can give you useful details about the camera, location, and image settings, a photo taken with a Polaroid SX-70 all gives you interesting, indirect details.