Meanwhile in Greece fires raged this summer:
Greek Fires Kills 60 but Spare Ancient Olympia Ruins
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2543062320070826
Fires Rage Across Greece (Aug. 26)
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/26/europe/EU-GEN-Greece-Fires.php
Greek Fires Kill at Least 12 and Threaten Antiquities (Aug. 27)
http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FA081FFF3F590C748EDDA10894DF404482
Plus an Explainer from Slate that asks “Are Ancient Ruins Flamable?â€
http://www.slate.com/id/2172877/
Over in Rome:
Colosseum is Menaced by Vandals Again
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2457310.ece
And perhaps spurred by this recent flurry of anitiquities-related news, an economist from Slate contemplates a strategy to protect anitiquities from plundering:
Rent-A-Treasure: How to Eliminate the Black Market in Stolen Antiquities.
http://www.slate.com/id/2173775/nav/tap3/
about which, rogueclassicism had this to say:
http://www.atrium-media.com/rogueclassicism/Posts/00006803.html