▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Israel ▁was ▁declared ▁and ▁kept ▁in ▁place ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁legisl ation ▁en act ed ▁during ▁the ▁British ▁Mand ate ▁period . ▁This ▁did ▁not ▁necessarily ▁mean ▁that ▁Israel ▁val ued ▁the ▁British ▁legal ▁system , ▁but ▁Isra eli ▁leaders ▁needed ▁a ▁legal ▁framework ▁to ▁aid ▁in ▁nation ▁building . ▁In ▁this ▁time ▁of ▁civil ▁un rest , ▁lo oting ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁rise ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁reports ▁of ▁military ▁lo oting ▁of ▁arch ae ological ▁sites ▁and ▁museum s . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁an ▁Anti qu ities ▁Unit ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁that ' s ▁purpose ▁was ▁the ▁o vers ight ▁of ▁arch ae ological ▁her itage . ▁ ▁After ▁years ▁of ▁small , ▁similar ▁laws ▁created , ▁an ▁Isra eli ▁anti qu ities ▁law ▁was ▁finally ▁en act ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁Israel ▁found ▁its ▁roots ▁in ▁the ▁tang ible ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁past . ▁Arch ae ological ▁focus ▁shift ed ▁from ▁questions ▁of ▁chron ology ▁to ▁a ▁real m ▁of ▁trade ▁relations , ▁social ▁complexity , ▁and ▁political ▁structures ▁of ▁past ▁soci eties . ▁People ▁began ▁dig ging ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁their ▁her itage ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁connect ▁with ▁their ▁ancest ors . ▁ ▁The ▁Anti qu ities ▁Law ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Israel ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Isra eli ▁law , ▁all ▁the ▁artifact s ▁in ▁a ▁lic ensed ▁shop ▁must ▁have