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Multi-Decade Smuggling Operation Exposed
In 2007, Indian authorities detained a consignment en route to the United States. The authorities stopped the consignment and found millions of dollars worth of Chola period idols. The authorities...
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Artifacts From Greek Heist Recovered, But Greek Museums Still in Danger
In a mid-February armed robbery, two masked men stole 76 artifacts from the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games. The men bound and gagged a female museum guard, smashed their way through display...
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The UK’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS)
When items are discovered in England and Whales, the State has no claim to them unless they are classified as treasure. The Portable Antiquities Scheme (“PAS”) was therefore introduced fifteen years...
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Turkey Employs Human Rights Law in Assault on British Museum
In January, Turkey will be turning to human rights law in a novel claim to repatriate sculptures currently housed in the British Museum. The lawsuit could use human rights legislation that has...
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Smuggled Tyrannosaurus Skeleton at Auction
Described as “a superb Tyrannosaurus skeleton” that “ruled the food chain of the ancient food plains that are today’s Gobi Desert,” an Asian dinosaur skeleton recently sold for over $1 million at...
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Head of Hades to be Returned to Sicily
The Getty museum has recently announced that it has decided to voluntarily return a terracotta head to the Museo Archeologico in Aidone, Sicily. Researchers at the Getty believe that the head, which...
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Russia Lists Historic Mansions for Public Auction
There are currently 150,000 architectural monuments in Russia. According to Russian culture minister Vladimir Medinsky, a majority of them are in a “horrific condition.” In order to save these...
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Problems Arise as The Getty Attempts to Verify Antiquities
In a recent effort to become more transparent, the Getty is currently attempting to verify the origins of the antiquities within its broad collection. According to recent reports, the Getty hopes to...
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An Update on Turkey’s Cultural War
Turkey is currently seeking the return of thousands of antiquities which they believe are rightfully theirs. In this pursuit, Turkish officials are using every weapon in their arsenal and inciting what...
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Reactions to “The Great Giveback”
Senior editor at the New York Review of Books, Hugh Eakin, recently published an opinion piece, “The Great Giveback,” in the New York Times. The piece discusses the now commonplace routine of American...
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US Urged to Relenquish Cambodian Antiquities
Recently, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced its decision to return stolen artifacts to Cambodia. Emboldened by this decision, Cambodia is now urging other United States museums to do the same....
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Phallus Rises in Popularity, Goes on Sale in Norfolk Museum
The King Lynn’s Museum in Norfolk will be offering replica golden phallus pendants for sale in their gift shop. At a mere 2.5 centimeters long, what the pendants lack in size they make up for in...
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Cambodia Welcomes Home Stolen 10th Century Sculptures
Two 10th-century statues received a much-anticipated welcome home party yesterday at the Phnom Penh airport. The “Kneeling Attendant” statues were accompanied by two representatives from New York’s...
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Putin Wears “Happy Smile” to Return Ancient Books to Jewish Group
This is Putin’s self-described “happy smile.” There has been a long-running US-based legal conflict between Russian and the Jewish Chabad-Lubvitch movement, based in Brooklyn, over a collection of...
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National Museum of Finland Refuses to Return Cuneiform Artifact to Iraq
The Art Newspaper reports – Officials at the National Museum of Finland say that they have turned down a request to return six artefacts to the Iraqi embassy in Helsinki that were donated to the...
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London Museum Deaccessions $20m in Chinese Ceramics, Citing “Good Time to...
In a controversial move, the council for the south London borough of Croydon will sell off part of its collection of Chinese ceramics, worth an estimated $20 million and donated in 1964. The proceeds...
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