Museums and Collectors

 

For years, international law enforcement agencies have struggled to prosecute offenders and repatriate stolen artifacts, due to the difficulty in identifying an object’s origins and proving the items stolen. What they needed was a sure-fire, easy method of identification, that would help them prosecute offenders, resulting in the creation of a powerful deterrent. Enter SmartWater Heritage.

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Protecting our heritage

Following intensive, independent testing by renowned universities in both the US and UK, we have released a new range of specially prepared forensic solutions suitable for use on heritage items, ranging from fine art, antiques to antiquities and other collectables. After consultation with conservators from some of the world’s most renowned museums, we have developed a solution that enhances conservation techniques without compromising the fundamental principal of reversibility.

Reversible Marking


We accept the principle within the mainstream Conservator community that any application to an artifact or museum object should be reversible, to ensure that it can be returned to its original state. So, to ensure that this principle is not compromised, while increasing the security of Museum objects, we have developed special ‘top coat’ varnish solutions.

Reversible Marking


To explain further, each Museum or Historic site would be assigned a unique SmartWater forensic code for its exclusive use. The Conservator or Museum staff would then apply the normal B-72 base coating, add the Indian ink catalog number, then apply the SmartWater top coat ‘fingerprinted’ forensic varnish over the top of a protective base coat.

Reversible Marking


However, it has to be accepted that the level of security provided by the traceability within the Museum’s SmartWater code would be limited in comparison to our more robust systems, consequently, a risk assessment needs to be undertaken to decide which approach to take.

Robust marking

Special traceable liquids for use on Antiquities have been subjected to intense independent technical scrutiny by US and UK Universities, and are now available for use on a specific list of approved substrates. With potentially millions of individual codes available, no two SmartWater traceable liquids are the same, with each having its own unique forensic code, meaning that marked items can be traced back to where they came from. It is practically invisible to the naked eye but glows bright yellow under UV ‘black’ light and our scientists only need a speck to recover the embedded data.

CASE STUDY

 

PROTECTING SYRIAN HERITAGE

 

In a joint US-UK initiative, financed by the SmartWater Foundation, our not-for-profit arm, a team of undercover operatives and Syrian Archaeologists have successfully applied SmartWater’s unique forensic ‘traceable liquid’ to some of Syria’s most treasured historical artifacts under threat of imminent theft.
CASE STUDY

 

Preserving history

 

This included two precious mosaics from the UNESCO World Heritage designated site of the Dead Cities. All of which were at high risk of being stolen by terrorists and criminal gangs and therefore lost forever. This process renders them traceable back to Syria if found anywhere in the World.
CASE STUDY

 

Conflict zone

 

The operation took place in the Idlib region, which has been the subject of indiscriminate gas attacks and therefore, extremely hazardous for the team involved.
CASE STUDY

 

Retention trumps Conservation

 

The situation is so bad that many Archaeologists and Conservators operating in these areas of the World believe that “retention trumps conservation”. Their belief is that the enhanced forensic traceability afforded by SmartWater® technology increases the risk to potential thieves as it enables law enforcement agencies to identify and prove provenance of suspected stolen artifacts.

CASE STUDY

 

“Syria’s cultural heritage is a vital part of our identity; it is what makes a Syrian a Syrian. Yet this heritage is under daily assault from looting and destruction by thieves and terrorists. SmartWater forensics are safeguarding Syria’s future by helping us prove the origin of these stolen and trafficked objects which is a major milestone in our efforts to preserve Syria’s history.”

PROF. AMR AL-AZM, COORDINATOR OF THE OPERATION

Protecting our heritage

Following intensive, independent testing by renowned universities in both the US and UK, we have released a new range of specially prepared forensic solutions suitable for use on heritage items, ranging from fine art, antiques to antiquities and other collectables. After consultation with conservators from some of the world’s most renowned museums, we have developed a solution that enhances conservation techniques without compromising the fundamental principal of reversibility.

Reversible Marking


We accept the principle within the mainstream Conservator community that any application to an artifact or museum object should be reversible, to ensure that it can be returned to its original state. So, to ensure that this principle is not compromised, while increasing the security of Museum objects, we have developed special ‘top coat’ varnish solutions.

Reversible Marking


To explain further, each Museum or Historic site would be assigned a unique SmartWater forensic code for its exclusive use. The Conservator or Museum staff would then apply the normal B-72 base coating, add the Indian ink catalog number, then apply the SmartWater top coat ‘fingerprinted’ forensic varnish over the top of a protective base coat.

Reversible Marking


However, it has to be accepted that the level of security provided by the traceability within the Museum’s SmartWater code would be limited in comparison to our more robust systems, consequently, a risk assessment needs to be undertaken to decide which approach to take.

Robust marking

Special traceable liquids for use on Antiquities have been subjected to intense independent technical scrutiny by US and UK Universities, and are now available for use on a specific list of approved substrates. With potentially millions of individual codes available, no two SmartWater traceable liquids are the same, with each having its own unique forensic code, meaning that marked items can be traced back to where they came from. It is practically invisible to the naked eye but glows bright yellow under UV ‘black’ light and our scientists only need a speck to recover the embedded data.

CASE STUDY

 

PROTECTING SYRIAN HERITAGE

 

In a joint US-UK initiative, financed by the SmartWater Foundation, our not-for-profit arm, a team of undercover operatives and Syrian Archaeologists have successfully applied SmartWater’s unique forensic ‘traceable liquid’ to some of Syria’s most treasured historical artifacts under threat of imminent theft.
CASE STUDY

 

Preserving history

 

This included two precious mosaics from the UNESCO World Heritage designated site of the Dead Cities. All of which were at high risk of being stolen by terrorists and criminal gangs and therefore lost forever. This process renders them traceable back to Syria if found anywhere in the World.
CASE STUDY

 

Conflict zone

 

The operation took place in the Idlib region, which has been the subject of indiscriminate gas attacks and therefore, extremely hazardous for the team involved.
CASE STUDY

 

Retention trumps Conservation

 

The situation is so bad that many Archaeologists and Conservators operating in these areas of the World believe that “retention trumps conservation”. Their belief is that the enhanced forensic traceability afforded by SmartWater® technology increases the risk to potential thieves as it enables law enforcement agencies to identify and prove provenance of suspected stolen artifacts.

CASE STUDY

 

“Syria’s cultural heritage is a vital part of our identity; it is what makes a Syrian a Syrian. Yet this heritage is under daily assault from looting and destruction by thieves and terrorists. SmartWater forensics are safeguarding Syria’s future by helping us prove the origin of these stolen and trafficked objects which is a major milestone in our efforts to preserve Syria’s history.”

PROF. AMR AL-AZM, COORDINATOR OF THE OPERATION

INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATIONS

A quality standard for testing and calibration laboratories, as required by the American Society of Crime Lab Directors.

A standard specifying a framework of policies and procedures that include all legal, physical and technical controls involved in an organization’s information risk management processes.

The world’s most widely recognized Quality Management System (QMS).

A specification for testing robustness. SmartWater’s products are guaranteed to last five years in all weather environments.

“Syria’s cultural heritage is a vital part of our identity; it is what makes a Syrian a Syrian. Yet this heritage is under daily assault from looting and destruction by thieves and terrorists. SmartWater forensics are safeguarding Syria’s future by helping us prove the origin of these stolen and trafficked objects which is a major milestone in our efforts to preserve Syria’s history.”

PROF AMR AL-AZM, THE DAY AFTER PROJECT

“Employing Smartwater technology is a cost effective deterrent and fits in as part of our overall security measures to protect the Castle and its artefacts for the enjoyment of our visitors and future generations.”

KELVIN WOODS, SECURITY MANAGER, LEEDS CASTLE

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