Thefts from Archaeological Stores and Museums

One observable phenomenon in recent years has been that some recovered material was derived, not from an unexcavated archaeological site, but from archaeological museums and stores. This is explored in my latest column, 'Context Matters', for The Journal of Art Crime 20 (Fall 2018), entitled 'Thefts from museums and archaeological stores'. While many of the pieces come from collections in Italy, others are recorded from Greece, Egypt, and Libya. 

Cleveland Museum of Art: new curator of Greek and Roman Art

Seth Pevnick will be moving from Tampa to the Cleveland Museum of Art where he will be the curator of Greek and Roman Art (Steve Litt, "Cleveland Museum of Art hires Seth Pevnick as ‘profoundly ethical’ curator of ancient Greek and Roman art", cleveland.com 20 December 2018).

One of the acquisitions that will need to be addressed is the "Leutwitz Apollo". The modern history of the monumental bronze does not seem as secure as it has been presented by the museum (see here). It is time for some of the analyses to be made public and open to debate.

The case of the acquisition of the portrait of Drusus Minor is, perhaps, illustrative of the museum's policy towards acquisitions in recent years (see here).

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VFMA and the display of the horse in Greek art

The VFMA exhibition catalogue for 'The Horse in Ancient Greek Art' has been reviewed by Carl Shaw in BMCR. The review does not consider the wider issues of the histories of the objects, with previous handlers including Nicolas Koutoulakis, Walter M. Banko in Montreal, Edoardo Almagià, and Fritz Bürki.

These issues have been discussed in some detail in the Journal of Art Crime earlier this year [see previous post].

Becchina and a hydria attributed to the Pan painter

Attic red-figured hydria attributed to the Pan painter
Source: Becchina archive.
Courtesy: Dr Christos Tsirogannis.

Dr Christos Tsirogiannis has spotted that a hydria due to be auctioned at Christie's in London on 5 December 2018 (lot 126) also features in the Becchina archive. The estimate for the pot is £20,000-£30,000. 

The auction catalogue provides the following history for the piece:

• with Holger Termer, Hamburg. Acquired by the present owner from the above, 1986. 

The scene was interpreted by Erika Simon as Theseus and Hekale in a contribution to the Festschrift R. Berlinger ('Theseus und Hekale', in  Perspektiven der Philosophie 13, 1987, pp. 409-416, pl. 1.2). Simon appeared to know the piece from the Hamburg private collection.

The Beazley Archive (BAPD 29055) is a little more cautious: 'Old woman (Hekale) with phiale at kalathos, youth with chlamys, spears and pilos (Theseus ?)'. It also provides the information that the attribution was by Martin Robertson.

The invoice in the Becchina archive is dated to the 26 January 1987, though a proforma of 12 December 1986 is also recorded. The invoice suggests that the scene possibly represents Oedipus and Teiresias.

Who is the present owner of the hydria? Is it the person or gallery who acquired it from Termer in 1986 (sic.)? Or did Palladion sell it on to a further party? Were Christie's unaware of the Becchina link? What had the due diligence search found?

It should be noted that the same sale at Christie's has other Termer pieces. What are their full histories?

It would be helpful if the full history of the hydria was to be disclosed. In any case, when did the hydria first surface? Is there any evidence that it was known prior to 1970?

Where were hydriai attributed to the Pan painter found?

• Athens: 1
• Padula: 1
• Vulci: 1
• Vulci (presumably, said to be): 1
• Capua (presumably, said to be): 1
• Nola (presumably, said to be): 1
• Metapontum: 1

Italy is a likely find-spot.

Adding to the history of an Attic black-figured amphora

Attic black-figured amphora
Source: Schinousa archive, courtesy of Dr Christos Tsirogiannis

The post-excavation histories of objects are important as we map the that cultural property passes through collections and the markets. This is clear for an Attic black-figured amphora, attributed to Group E, that is due to be auctioned at Christie's New York on October 31, 2018 (lot 31). It shows Herakles and the Nemean lion, and Theseus and the Minotaur.

The auction catalogue claims that it surfaced in the hands of John Hewett in London in 1970 (or earlier), then to a private collection in Europe, followed by a series of auctions:

• A European private collection; Antiquities  Sotheby's, London, 11 July 1988, lot 130
• thence to a private collection, New York
• Antiquities Christie's, New York, 15 December 1992, lot 81
• Antiquities Sotheby's, New York, 17 December 1996, lot 50
• Antiquities, Sotheby's, New York, 4 June 1998, lot 102

The amphora appears in the Beazley Archive (BAPD 350425). This provides the history sequence as follows (though in the list of auction catalogues seems to confuse Sotheby's and Christie's). Note that the sequence does not quite match the one provided by Christie's.

• 1: London, market 
• 2: London, market, Sotheby's 
• 3: New York (NY), market, Sotheby's 
• 4: London, private 
• 5: New York (NY), market, Sotheby's

Cambridge-based researcher, Dr Christos Tsirogiannis, has spotted that the amphora appears in the Schinousa archive. He also observes that the photographs of the amphora in BAPD show salt deposits, perhaps indicating that the amphora had only recently emerged from its context. These also contrast with the photographs in the Schinousa archive that appear to have been taken after conservation / restoration.

When did the amphora reside with Robin Symes? Was this the European private collection? Or was this the London private collection between December 1996 and June 1998? Or are these private collections different again?

The amphora was known to Sir John Beazley and was listed by him in 1971. It is, however, surprising that the auction catalogue entry and the BAPD record do not coincide more closely. And the amphora's presence in the hands of Robin Symes adds to our knowledge of how the amphora passed through the market. 

Metal-detecting at Corbridge

Corbridge © David Gill

The scheduled Roman site of Corbridge in Northumberland has been the target of illegal metal-detecting. Historic England has noted that English Heritage, the organisation that is responsible for part of the excavated site, has had to mount a security operation to protect the site. 

It is known that parts of Hadrian's Wall (just to the north of Corbridge), itself designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been targeted by such illegal activity.

Roman archaeological sites are found across this frontier zone. What actions are being taken to protect the finite archaeological record across the region? What information is being lost through illegal metal-detecting? What are the intellectual implications for Roman frontier studies? Where are the responses from the archaeological community?

This would be described as looting if this was taking place at a classical site in the Mediterranean. Does the language of describing such illegal activity in England need to change?

Thanks to @EnglishHeritage for putting in an overnight security guard at Roman Corbridge – really positive action to combat illegal metal detecting (nighthawks) at this scheduled monument @HeritageCrime

— HE North East (@HE_NorthEast) October 5, 2018

Stele returns to Greece

Images: 
L, Sotheby's; R, Becchina archive 
(courtesy of Dr Christos Tsirogiannis)

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture has announced (Saturday 8 September 2018) that a stele that had been due to be auctioned at Sotheby's in London in June 2017 has been returned to Greece (Friday 7 September 2018). The identification had been made by Cambridge-based forensic archaeologist Dr Christos Tsirogiannis.

It appeared that the stele had been supplied with a falsified history as its presence with Becchina until 1990 contradicted the published sale catalogue entry. It then moved into the hands of George Ortiz.

A year ago it was suggested that Sotheby's should contact the Greek authorities. Those negotiations appear to have concluded successfully.

The 4th century BC stele fragment, with the personal name, Hestiaios, will be displayed in the Epigraphic Museum in Athens. It appears to have come from a cemetery in Attica.