EES Papyri: update

The EES has issued a statement about the missing papyri from its collection ("Museum of the Bible and missing EES papyri", 26 February 2021). 34 fragments acquired by the Museum of the Bible (MOTB) have now been returned or are in the process of being returned. These pieces had been removed from the EES collection by "a number of third parties". Who are these people who had access to the EES collection in Oxford? It appears that the police investigation continues. 

For previous press release from 14 October 2019.

Theft in Greece: surfacing in Athens, New York and Basel

Greek archaeologist Angelos Zardakas had identified a head looted from the Liopesi collection in 1967 (Marianna Kakaounaki, "The mystery of two looted heads", ekathermini.com, 18 February 2021).  It was identified in the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum in Athens.

A companion piece, stolen from the same collection (also in 1967), had been identified in the 1990s from the Shelby White and Leon Levy collection; it has subsequently been returned to Greece and placed in storage in the National Archaeological Museum. 

A third piece from the same raid, "the top part of the funerary stele of Euthesion of Pallene that is currently on show at the Archaeological Museum of Basel in Switzerland", has yet to be returned to Greece even though it was identified back in 1971.

Who handled these pieces of sculpture? Which networks were used? When does Basel intend to return the stele?

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