Contrary to what might be thought, the literature dealing with the legal aspects of the protection of cultural property is not very great; on the other hand case law is becoming ever more important. This study, the elaboration of which was entrusted to the Secretariat of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (Unidroit) by the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is based on the one hand upon certain principles of the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property of 14 November 1970 (hereinafter referred to as "the 1970 UNESCO Convention") - Paris, and, on the other hand, upon the rule on good faith contained in the Unidroit draft Convention providing a uniform law on the acquisition in good faith of corporeal movables (LUAB, 1974) - Rome.
