Glossary beginning with H

The Glossary provides basic legal and technical definitions for the most common terms related to the fight against illicit traffic in cultural goods.

a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | l | m | n | o | p | r | s | t | u | v

H

Huaquero

See "Guaquero".

Huechero

A huechero is a person who clandestinely excavates at archaeological sites for the purpose of obtaining marketable antiquities; a looter. The term is primarily used in Guatemala and Belize. It is derived from the word "huech" which means "armadillo" in several Maya dialects. Armadillos are seen as creatures that dig holes in the dirt much like looters of archaeological sites. The use of the term "huechero" usually implies subsistence digging. It is worth noting that the South American term "huaquero", which has a similar definition, is derived from a different source.

Source: Trafficking Culture

Human remains

Human remains are the body of a dead person, or parts of it, usually buried for a long time. In archaeology they are the bones, usually ancient, found during excavations. Human remains may be skeletal or fossil. As an integral part of the mortuary record, human remains provide unique information about demography, diet, disease, and genetic relationships among human groups.

Source: Arthemis, Art-Law Centre, University of Geneva / Society for American Archaeology