Looting Matters

I have been working my way through Barbara Cavaliere and Jennifer Udell (ed.), Ancient Mediterranean Art: The William D. and Jane Walsh Collection at Fordham University (New York: Fordham University Press, 2012) [Review in BMCR].

I was disappointed in the presentation of the catalogue. Where are the full collecting histories for each piece? How did they enter the Walsh collection? When? Who were the previous owners?

The limited information is likely to be significant.

The entries for the coins (nos. 93-103) do not contain collecting histories.

Some of the information on the antiquities includes:

Atlantis Antiquities, New York
Greek and Etruscan Art (1988): no. 16, cup fragment

Christie's, New York
1995, December 7, lot 98: inv. 4.016, Faliscan stamnos
1999, June 4, lot 11: no. 11, Attic neck-amphora; lot 26, no. 35, terracotta Eros; lot 32, no. 36, terracotta thymiaterion; lot 52, no. 33, Gnathian situla; lot 72, inv. 7.050, Etruscan kylix; lot 74, inv. 7.024, Etruscan chalice
1999, …

It appears that Fordham University is not a stranger to "illicit antiquities". It appears that an impasto "cinerary hut urn" (inv. 4.021) given to the university by William and Jane Walsh (presumably in 2006) had an interesting collecting history. Jennifer Udell has stated that the urn was "illegally excavated, exported, and sold at auction". In fact, the urn was not "excavated" but rather "dug up" or "looted". And where was it sold at auction?

In 2010 the legal title to the hut was handed over to Italy, and the Italian authorities have placed the hut on long-term loan at Fordham.

Interestingly there does not appear to be anything in the press releases for Fordham or the Italian Ministry of Culture. But credit to Udell for making this information public.

We should not forget the bronze Villanovan hut in Princeton. Will that be handed over to the Italian authorities?

The so-called Crosby Garrett helmet allegedly found buried in a field near the village of that name in Cumbria has now been placed on display in the British Museum. It has attracted over 20,000 visitors when display at the Tullie House Museum in Carlisle (Chris Story, "More than 20,000 see Roman helmet at Carlisle Museum", in-Cumbria January 27, 2014). One of the Carlisle visitors is quoted: "This helmet really belongs here". Indeed it does (if it was found in a Cumbrian field). But it was acquired by an anonymous private collector.

We should not forget that this helmet underwent a rushed restoration "job" before it went under the hammer in London. There has been (as far as I can tell) no scientific study of the helmet.

And we need to question where it was found.

I am working with my colleagues Dr Ian Baxter and Dr Geraint Coles on 'Heritage Futures'. We are hosting regular research seminars, interacting with local heritage organisations, as well as teaching students. You can follow our activities here.

One of our themes at the moment is site interpretation and the writing of guidebooks.

The February number of Current Archaeology has a feature on 'Crosby Garrett: Exploring the helmet's burial place' (Issue 287; Mike Bishop and Stuart Noon with Matthew Symonds). This coincides with the public display of the helmet at the Tullie House Museum in Carlisle, and then the British Museum.

Was the helmet found where it is claimed? The article comments, 'Unsubstantiated rumours speculated that perhaps the artefact had been found elsewhere, maybe even overseas, and that a faux findspot in the Hadrian's Wall hinterland was a way to secure a provenance'.

So what is the evidence that the helmet was found in a hole near Crosby Garrett? "Minerva Heritage Ltd opened a small trench on the spot, which revealed that any cut made when the helmet was deposited had been destroyed when it was dug up in 2010". In other words, the metal-detectorists obliterated any archaeology that could have been there, and there is no compelling evidence that the helmet was …

Judith Harris in Rome has drawn my attention to an exhibition, "La Memoria ritrovata", that is on show at the Quirinal (Judith Harris, "Stolen Treasures on View at Quirinal Palace", January 22, 2014). It contains some 110 objects that have been recovered by the Carabinieri in the last three years. They include the Etruscan cinerary urns from Perugia. Objects recovered from a Japanese dealer in Switzerland via Operation Andromeda have also been put on display.

Harries reminds us that there are some 5.7 million stolen objects and the search for them is supported by a data bank of some 560,000 images.

Stephen G. Miller has responded to the Association of Greek Archaeologists with a letter to the same newspaper (January 22, 2014). This includes a link to his letter (downloadable as a Word file). Miller notes that his concern lies with unguarded and unfenced sites.

His letter also draws attention to damage to items from Phlius (Nea Nemea).

Miller concludes his (attached) letter with his vision for the contribution that archaeology can make to the Greek community.