Article 35 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 35 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
Registered movable antiquities owned by the State may not be sold, and may not be given away without the approval of the Prime Minister, without prejudice to agreements the Kingdom is party to.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1 - لا يجوز بيع الآثار المنقولة المسجلة التي تملكها الدولة.
2 - دون إخلال بالاتفاقيات التي تكون المملكة طرفاً فيها، لا يجوز إهداء الآثار المنقولة المسجلة التي تملكها الدولة إلا بموافقة رئيس مجلس الوزراء.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 35 explained in plain English
This article protects registered movable antiquities owned by the State from leaving State ownership.
Paragraph (1) – Ban on sale: registered movable antiquities owned by the State may not be sold. The ban is absolute; the text states no exception to it.
Paragraph (2) – Restriction on gifting: these antiquities may not be given away except with the approval of the Prime Minister, and without prejudice to agreements the Kingdom is party to.
The difference between the two rules can be understood from the text: sale is prohibited, while gifting is possible but only with approval at the highest level, that of the Prime Minister.
Conditions for applying the rule: it applies to antiquities that meet three descriptions together:
- They are movable.
- They are registered.
- They are owned by the State.
The rule does not cover privately owned antiquities or unregistered antiquities; its scope is limited to those that meet all three descriptions. It is linked to Article 36, which provides that no movable antiquity may be acquired without carrying proof that its ownership is lawful.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 35 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
Can antiquities owned by the State be sold?
No. Registered movable antiquities owned by the State may not be sold.
Can artifacts be given as a gift to another country?
Registered movable antiquities owned by the State may not be given away except with the approval of the Prime Minister, without prejudice to agreements the Kingdom is party to.
More articles on State Ownership of Antiquities
- Article 2
All fixed and movable antiquities in the Kingdom and its maritime areas are public property of the State except for stated exceptions, and the owner of a movable antiquity must present it to the Commission for registration within two years of the Law taking effect.
تعد جميع الآثار الثابتة والمنقولة الموجودة في المملكة، أو في المناطق البحرية الخاضعة لسيادتها، أو ولايتها القانونية من الأملاك العامة للدولة، ويستثنى من ذلك ما
- Article 5
Owning or using land does not give its owner or user freedom to dispose of or excavate the antiquities on or under it; what is found becomes State property, and the Commission may relinquish fixed antiquities in the land where necessary after documenting them.
لا تُكسب الأرض مالكها أو المنتفع بها حرية التصرف في الآثار الثابتة أو المنقولة التي على سطحها أو في باطنها، ولا يجوز لأي منهما التنقيب عن الآثار فيها، وتقوم بذل
- Article 26
Fixed and movable submerged antiquities, whether discovered or not, in the maritime areas under the Kingdom's sovereignty or legal jurisdiction are State property.
تعد الآثار الغارقة الثابتـة والمنقولة، المكتشفة وغير المكتشفة، في المناطق البحرية الخاضعة لسيادة المملكة أو ولايتها القانونية؛ ملكاً للدولة.
- Article 44
Discovered antiquities found by the Authority or a licensed excavator are State property that cannot be given up, though they may be exhibited and some may be lent for study for an agreed period.
1- تعد ملكاً للدولة جميع الآثار المكتشفة - التي تعثر عليها الهيئة أو المرخص له بالتنقيب عن الآثار - ولا يجوز التنازل عنها. ويجوز للرئيس أن يسمح للمرخص له بعرض م
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.