Saturday, July 05, 2008

Egypt - The scale of the returns

Safe Corner (David Gill)

David Gill has highlighted the recent Al Ahram article by Nevine El-Aref on the Safe Corner blog, (the online community of the non-profit organization SAFE/Saving Antiquities for Everyone), and has added a very useful pie chart showing the scale of returns of artefacts to Egypt over the last six years, by location.

The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) has been active in seeking returns of looted antiquities ("Wrapping up smuggled goods", Al-Ahram, 3-9 July 2008). Some 3000 antiquities have been seized in the last six years. Locations include Heathrow Airport and Geneva - but these only account for some 1000 pieces. Where were the other 2000 seized? (See also the relief from Bonhams; two Middle Kingdom ducks at Christie's (New York) and with Rupert Wace.) Were these 3000 antiquities destined for the antiquities market? Had they been purchased? Who was handling them?

These figures suggest that looting in Egypt is far from over. This area will be looked after by a new department at the SCA, the National Committee to Return Smuggled Antiquities (NCRSA).

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Knowing that the Egyptian authorities have tons of artifacts they keep stored and undisplayed, and given the wide spread interest in things Egyptian, I would like to see them sign assurances that items they want returned from museums world-wide would go on display when returned to Egyptian possession.

Otherwise, if I was a museum official, and held possession of a disputed item that was on display for all to admire and educate themselves from, and the Zari Hawasses of the world would not agree to display them, I would simply place a placard in display case, stating this item is on "permanent loan" from Egypt.

After all, the Egyptian authorities once had agreements to divide the finds of early archaeologists from foreign nations, so who can really claim "ownership" on many of these items? "Seller's Remorse" has no basis in law.

Of course, if smuggled illegally and it can be proved so, intercepted items should be immediately repatriated.

1:41 pm

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