Due to their commodity value archaeological sites often become targets of offences committed with the aim to get antiquities. Damages done to archaeological sites due to illegal activities relate not only to losses in terms of culture and historical knowledge, but also to a wider range of socio-economic interests. In the process of illegal obtainment of antiquities harm is being done to the archaeological site itself. Therefore the question arises what are the criteria for assessing damage to archaeological heritage caused by illegal activities and how justified is calculation of such damage in the relevant criminal and civil proceedings? In order to answer this and other related questions the range of affected socio-economic interests, as well as current approach and practice in Latvia and several other European countries are observed in the presentation.