 Dayan was an author and described himself as an amateur archaeologist, the latter hobby leading to significant controversy, as his amassing of historical artifacts, often with the help of his soldiers, seemed to be in breach of a number of laws.Some of his activities in this regard, whether illegal digging, looting of sites or commerce of antiquities, have been detailed by R. Kletter from the Israel Antiquities Authority.American Science Fiction writer Poul Anderson published his novel "Ensign Flandry" at the time when Moshe Dayan's international renown and admiration for him in Israel were at their highest.