Article 36 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 36 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
No movable antiquity may be acquired without proof of lawful ownership and its presentation to the Authority for registration; the holder is responsible for preserving it and must notify the Authority at once if it is lost, damaged or stolen.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز اقتناء أي أثر منقول بأي شكل من أشكال الاقتناء دون حمل ما يثبت شرعية ملكيته، على أن يعرض على الهيئة لتسجيله، ويعد حائز الأثر مسؤولاً عن المحافظة عليه، ولا يجوز له إحداث أي تغيير فيه، فإن تعرض الأثر للضياع، أو التلف، أو السرقة؛ وجب على المقتني إبلاغ الهيئة فوراً، وفقاً للإجراءات التي تحددها اللوائح.
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 36 explained in plain English
This article sets out the rules for acquiring movable antiquities, and includes several obligations:
- Proof of lawfulness: no movable antiquity may be acquired, in any form of acquisition, without carrying proof that its ownership is lawful.
- Presentation for registration: the antiquity must be presented to the Authority for registration.
- Responsibility: the holder of the antiquity is responsible for preserving it.
- No alteration: the holder may not make any change to it.
- Notification: if the antiquity is lost, damaged or stolen, the person who acquired it must notify the Authority at once, following the procedures set by the regulations.
The phrase "in any form of acquisition" means the rule covers purchase, inheritance, gift and other means, so the way the antiquity was obtained does not excuse the owner from proving that ownership is lawful.
The person who acquires an antiquity therefore needs a document proving that ownership is lawful, and needs to have the antiquity registered.
Anyone who has a movable antiquity and cannot prove where it came from, or whose antiquity has been stolen, would be wise to consult a lawyer who specializes in antiquities and urban heritage law.
Practical example
Faisal owns an old weapon piece registered with the Authority. His house in Riyadh is burgled and the piece is lost. He must notify the Authority at once, following the procedures set by the regulations, and before that he was not permitted to make any change to the piece.
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 36 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
Can I acquire an antiquity?
No movable antiquity may be acquired without carrying proof that its ownership is lawful, and it must be presented to the Authority for registration.
What should I do if an antiquity I own is stolen?
You must notify the Authority at once, following the procedures set by the regulations.
Can I clean or modify an antiquity I own?
No. The holder of an antiquity may not make any change to it and is responsible for preserving it.
More articles on Possessing and Trading Antiquities
- Article 15
Auctions for selling movable antiquities and folk heritage pieces may not be organized except under a license from the Commission.
لا يجوز تنظيم مزادات بيع الآثار المنقولة وقطع التراث الشعبي، إلا بترخيص من الهيئة.
- Article 16
The Commission, in coordination with the competent authorities, works to recover national antiquities and helps return foreign antiquities smuggled from and to the Kingdom, under the relevant international agreements.
على الهيئة - بالتنسيق مع الجهات المختصة - أن تعمل على استعادة الآثار الوطنية، وأن تساعد على إعادة الآثار الأجنبية المهربة والمنقولة بطرق غير شرعية من المملكة وإ
- Article 30
The Commission may exchange duplicate movable antiquities, or those with similar specimens, with museums and scientific institutions inside and outside the Kingdom, and lend movable antiquities for display in international museums and exhibitions.
يجوز للهيئة تبادل الآثار المنقولة المكررة، أو التي لها نماذج مع المتاحف والمؤسسات العلمية الداخلية والخارجية، وكذلك إعارة الآثار المنقولة لعرضها في المتاحف والم
- Article 31
The Commission may accept movable antiquities offered to it as a gift or loan, and may keep or display them in the name of the person who offered them.
للهيئة قبول الآثار المنقولة التي تقدم إليها على سبيل الإهداء أو الإعارة، ولها أن تحفظها أو تعرضها باسم مقدمها.
- Article 32
The Commission may leave a movable antiquity discovered by chance in its discoverer's possession after registering it, and the discoverer may not dispose of it without the Commission's approval.
للهيئة ترك الأثر المنقول المكتشف عن طريق الصدفة في حيازة مكتشفه بعد تسجيله، ولا يجوز لمكتشفه التصرف فيه دون موافقة الهيئة.
- Article 33
Restoring movable antiquities for commercial purposes may not be practiced except after obtaining a license from the Commission, and the regulations set out the controls for this.
لا تجوز مزاولة نشاط ترميم الآثار المنقولة لأغراض تجارية إلا بعد الحصول على ترخيص من الهيئة، وتبين اللوائح ضوابط ذلك.
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.