Artifacts and cave formations can have significant cultural value, and may be legally protected.
What is the policy?
- Items obtained from government or protected land, historical grave sites, or shipwrecks, can't be sold on eBay
- Looted or stolen goods can't be sold on eBay. See INTERPOL stolen works of art database - opens in new window or tab and the International Council of Museums Red Lists Database - opens in new window or tab that identifies categories of cultural goods most vulnerable to illicit traffic.
Listings for artifacts, fossils, and relics must:
- Follow all government regulations
- Be authentic and listed in the appropriate category
Listings for replicas must:
- State the item is a replica in the title and description
- Be listed in the Reproduction or Fantasy category, as appropriate
Listings for antiquities must include the provenance or ownership history of the item and, where possible, a photo or scanned image of an official document including both the item's country of origin, and the legal details of the sale. The item must also be approved for import or export.
For more information on the categories of cultural goods most vulnerable to illicit activity, please see the International Council of Museums Red List - opens in new window or tab.
- Listings for cave formations must follow all government regulations
- Speleothems, stalactites, and stalagmites obtained from caves on government land can't be sold on eBay
- Listings for government survey markers must include a photo or scanned image of the document proving that the government has transferred ownership to the eBay seller
The following Native American items can't be sold on eBay:
- Funeral objects placed with the dead
- Grave markers
- Human remains
- Sacred items used by Native American religious leaders in ceremonial practices, such as ceremonial masks and pray sticks
Listings for Native American arts, crafts, and jewelry must follow all government regulations.
- Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act - opens in new window or tab, any item described as Alaska Native, American Indian, or Native American must be made by an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized tribe or by someone certified as an Indian artisan by a recognized Indian tribe
Non-Native American items in the style of Native American art or crafts must be listed in the Non-Native American category.
Activity on eBay is required to follow this policy, the eBay User Agreement and all applicable laws, as well as respect the rights of third parties. If it doesn’t, eBay may take action consistent with applicable laws and the eBay User Agreement, and may even be legally required to do so. Such actions may include, as an example only: Removing the listing or other content, issuing a warning, restricting activity or account suspension.
Why does eBay have this policy?
This policy helps protect items of significant cultural value, and ensures that important government regulations are followed.