▁co ins ▁from ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Bar - K och va ▁revol t ▁around ▁ 1 3 2 AD . ▁Christian ▁pil gr ims ▁seek ▁objects ▁from ▁the ▁By z antine ▁era , ▁and ▁the ▁demand ▁is ▁greatest ▁for ▁items ▁that ▁are ▁marked ▁with ▁a ▁cross . ▁Tour ists ▁do ▁not ▁care ▁about ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁an ▁anti qu ity , ▁their ▁main ▁concern ▁is ▁that ▁the ▁object ▁is ▁‘ old ’ . ▁An ▁I AA ▁survey ▁revealed ▁that ▁ 8 0 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁people ▁entering ▁anti qu ities ▁sh ops ▁are ▁tour ists ▁and ▁that ▁ 6 7 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁those ▁buy ▁an ▁anti qu ity . ▁ ▁Some ▁collect ors , ▁the ▁Isra eli ▁collect ors , ▁ex ert ▁a ▁strong ▁influence ▁on ▁the ▁political ▁decision - making ▁process ▁concerning ▁the ▁domestic ▁anti qu ities ▁trade . ▁They ▁are ▁influ ential ▁public ▁figures ▁who ▁have ▁put ▁pressure ▁on ▁parliament ▁to ▁not ▁change ▁the ▁current ▁law , ▁which ▁perm its ▁trad ing ▁in ▁anti qu ities . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁Ted dy ▁Kol lek , ▁an ▁important ▁anti qu ities ▁collect or , ▁the ▁then ▁mayor ▁of ▁Jerusalem , ▁and ▁previously ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Israel ▁Museum ▁Jerusalem ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors , ▁stated ▁in ▁a ▁letter ▁addressed ▁to ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Education ▁and ▁Culture ▁that ▁the ▁b anning ▁of ▁the ▁anti qu ities ▁trade ▁would ▁be ▁rid icul ous . ▁He ▁claims ▁that ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁legit imate ▁sales ▁gall eries ▁allows ▁the ▁I AA