From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 1 03:20:09 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 03:20:09 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Poland renews claim tolooted art Message-ID: <20050201022008.XUOO24449.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> Poland renews claim to looted art By JOE MILICIA The Associated Press CLEVELAND - Polish officials say legal documents compiled in a new book bolster their ownership claim of drawings by Renaissance master Albrecht Durer that were looted by the Nazis during World War II. The 27 drawings were stolen from the Ossolinski Institute in present-day Lviv, Ukraine, which was once part of Poland, and sold on the international art market after the war ended. They are now owned by major museums and collections in the United States and Europe, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo. In 1952, the Cleveland Museum of Art bought two of the drawings: "The Dead Christ" and "The Ascension." It purchased "Head of a Man in a Cap" in 1963. Harold Holzer, senior vice president for external affairs at the Metropolitan, said last week that the museum believes it acquired its two Durer drawings in a fair manner, citing a 2001 ruling by a State Department special envoy for Holocaust issues. But Holzer said the museum will examine the book and revisit the issue. "We believe that we owe our public and the people who took the pains to assemble this document the courtesy of intelligent review to see if it sheds any new light on this issue," Holzer said. The Cleveland Museum issued a statement saying that it is reviewing the book and "will respond appropriately." The new book, "The Fate of the Lubomirski Durers," was published by the Society of the Friends of the Ossolinski Institute with support from the American Council of Polish Culture. "For the first time, all documents related to the case were put together and translated from different languages into plain English," said Boguslaw Winid, deputy chief of the Polish Embassy in Washington. Winid said the documents, some dating back to the 19th century, track the complicated history of the drawings, which were taken in 1941 from the Ossolinski Institute in Lviv, which was then in Poland. After the war, the U.S. military found the drawings in an Austrian salt mine and gave them to a descendant of the original owner, Prince Heinrich Lubomirski, a wealthy landowner. The descendant, Georg Lubomirski, sold them. Polish scholars say documents in the new book show that the Ossolinski Institute should have received the drawings, not Lubomirski. Questions about their ownership involve the changing of national borders in Eastern Europe: both Ukraine and Poland have said they own the drawings and want them back. Durer, who died in 1528, combined the discoveries of Italian painters with the tradition of his homeland in his works, which also included engravings and paintings. Winid said he hopes the museums will evaluate the book and reach a compromise with Poland. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2002163778_lootedart 31.html From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 1 03:20:09 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 03:20:09 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Slovakia: Unhealthy return for Mucha painting "Blessed spring" Message-ID: <20050201022013.XUPX24449.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> Unhealthy return for "Blessed spring" A PAINTING that was stolen from the walls of a hotel in the Slovak spa town of Pie??any was returned to its rightful owners January 21. The painting, by Czech art nouveau artist Alfons Mucha (1860-1939) and entitled Be Greeted the Blessed Spring of Health, suffered visible damage since its theft. Milan Kr?marik, director of the Pie??any spa, collected the valuable work from the Czech police in Plze?, the TASR news agency wrote. The painting was stolen on October 19, 2000, from the Thermia Palace Hotel in Pie??any. A thief used a knife to cut the work from its frame and carried it out of the building. Czech police recovered the painting, worth Sk3 million (?77,520), while someone was attempting to sell it to an Austrian citizen. The colour of the upper part of the painting has been obliterated, damage is also apparent in several other places. "We want to ask the specialists and restorers from the Slovak National Gallery and the University of Design Arts to appraise the extent of the damage as soon as possible. We'll decide what to do next, depending on their suggestions," said Kram?rik. The intention of the spa headquarters is to return the artwork to the wall in the dining room of the Thermia Palace hotel in May 2006, when the hotel will be re-opened after reconstruction. At that time, Thermia will be equipped with a modern security system and this should stop further incidents of theft. The painting will be kept in the treasury of the security service of Pie??any spa until 2006. Mucha composed Be Greeted the Blessed Spring of Health in 1913. It is a spa scene in which a young girl in a wheelchair is featured. The girl was Mucha's sick daughter, who was being treated at Pie??any. Mucha donated the painting to a former tenant of the spa, Alexander Winter. http://www.slovakspectator.sk/clanok-18561.html From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 1 03:30:40 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 03:30:40 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?France=3A_Les_douanes_exposent_=E0_R?= =?iso-8859-1?q?oissy_une_=22saisie_exceptionnelle=22_d=27art_afric?= =?iso-8859-1?q?ain?= Message-ID: <20050201023046.NNTQ27281.amsfep18-int.chello.nl@cremers> Les douanes exposent ? Roissy une "saisie exceptionnelle" d'art africain LEXPRESS.fr avec AFP 03:01 - Dents de dinosaures, poteries, pointes de fl?ches: une "saisie exceptionnelle" d'art africain en provenance du Niger et ? destination de la Belgique a ?t? d?voil?e ? la presse samedi ? l'a?roport de Roissy par la direction interr?gionale des douanes. Photo: http://www.lexpress.fr/info/infojour/infos.asp?id=508&1134 Il s'agit d'une "saisie exceptionnelle" d'art africain en provenance du Niger, couvrant "quasiment toute l'histoire et la pr?histoire de l'Afrique". Effectu?e le 6 janvier par la cellule de ciblage fret de Roissy, la saisie compte 845 pi?ces pour un poids de 503 kilos, qui couvrent "quasiment toute l'histoire et la pr?histoire de l'Afrique", selon Marie-H?l?ne Moncel, chercheuse au CNRS et experte en pr?histoire aupr?s du Mus?um national d'Histoire naturelle. Parmi ces pi?ces, 668 pierres taill?es ou objets en pierre datent pour la plupart du n?olithique (8.000 ? 6.000 ans avant notre ?re) et pour certaines de l'acheul?en (?re secondaire, soit 1,6 million ? 200.000 ans avant notre ?re). Encore plus anciens, des ossements fossilis?s de dinosaures, de plus de 70 millions d'ann?es. Beaucoup plus r?centes, vingt-neuf poteries et neuf figurines en terre cuite provenant du syst?me de Bura, ? cheval entre le Niger et la partie orientale du Burkina-Faso et dont la datation se situe entre le IIe et le XIe si?cle. Ces derni?res figurent sur la liste rouge du Conseil international des Mus?es qui reprend les objets les plus touch?s par le pillage et le vol et interdits d'exportation. La cargaison, en provenance du Niger, ?tait en transit ? Roissy et avait pour destination Bruxelles, selon la direction g?n?rale des douanes. Si l'avion sur lequel circulaient ces pi?ces ? bien ?t? "cibl?" par la cellule fret des douanes de Roissy, leur d?couverte comporte "une part de chance", reconna?t Xavier Villaume, un des douaniers qui a d?couvert le tr?sor. "Au d?part, nous cherchions des stup?fiants. La d?claration en douanes de la cargaison comportait l'appellation +objets d'artisanat africain+, sous laquelle on peut trouver aussi bien des stup?fiants, que des esp?ces d'animaux prot?g?es ou des objets de ce type", explique Xavier Villaume. Marie-H?l?ne Moncel parle d'un "gros g?chis" en termes arch?ologiques" puisque ces objets ont ?t? retir?s de leurs sites d'origine et qu'on ne pourra donc pas les dater pr?cis?ment et les ?tudier de mani?re optimale. "Le pr?judice est ?norme, tous les sites qui ont ?t? pill?s sont des sites perdus", a-t-elle expliqu?, avant de pr?ciser que ces objets "n'ont plus de sens arch?ologique". Leur valeur historique reste toutefois "inestimable", selon la direction g?n?rale des douanes, qui pr?cise que la valeur ? la revente est "impossible ? ?tablir, ces objets ne sont pas cot?s, tout d?pend de l'offre et de la demande". Les auteurs du trafic n'ont pas encore ?t? inqui?t?s. "Nous attendons que le Niger d?livre une commission rogatoire internationale et ensuite l'enqu?te pourra r?ellement d?marrer", a confi? la direction des douanes. Le ministre du Budget et porte-parole du gouvernement Jean-Fran?ois Cop? est venu saluer cette "saisie exceptionnelle". M. Cop? a annonc? que tous ces objets seraient, apr?s expertise, restitu?s ? leur pays d'origine, soulignant qu'ils "appartiennent au patrimoine de l'humanit?". Il a soulign? l'importance de la "coop?ration europ?enne" en mati?re de lutte contre les trafics de toutes sortes et ajout? que les auteurs du trafic seraient sanctionn?s "de fortes amendes et de peines d'emprisonnement". ? 2005 AFP. Tous droits de reproduction et de repr?sentation r?serv?s. Toutes les informations reproduites dans cette rubrique (d?p?ches, photos, logos) sont prot?g?es par des droits de propri?t? intellectuelle d?tenus par l'AFP. Par cons?quent, aucune de ces informations ne peut ?tre reproduite, modifi?e, transmise, rediffus?e, traduite, vendue, exploit?e commercialement ou r?utilis?e de quelque mani?re que ce soit sans l'accord pr?alable ?crit de l'AFP. From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 1 07:52:55 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 07:52:55 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Slovakia: A Lexa-con of Slovak Justice; art sting by former head of the Slovak Intelligence Service Message-ID: <20050201065255.DOSI24449.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> Slovakia: A Lexa-con of Slovak Justice by Lukas Diko 31 January 2005 The ghosts of the Meciar past are passing only slowly through Slovak courts. BRATISLAVA, Slovakia--Of all his alleged misdeeds, it was probably his most minor, but on 25 January an art sting became the first crime for which Ivan Lexa, former head of the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), was found guilty. A Slovak court ruled that Lexa's decision to use $200,000 to purchase a triptych from the bishop of Banska Bystrica, Rudolf Balaz, in 1995 constituted an abuse of power. The purpose of the operation was to frame and discredit the bishop, witnesses said. In 1995, the SIS claimed that the work, Adoration of the Magi, was listed on Slovakia's register of national cultural artifacts and could not be legally sold. However, independent records indicate that it was not on the list and could therefore be sold. The court ruled the operation was illegal as there was no suspicion of criminal activity involving the bishop's office. In 2000, the government returned the picture to Balaz. Lexa was ordered to pay a 500,000 crown fine (roughly $17,000) or to spend 12 months in prison. Lexa will not have to make the choice for some time, if at all, as he has appealed, claiming that the case was politically motivated. Lexa showed no remorse, saying he would act in the same way again if in that situation. Lexa and his colleagues have been found not guilty in a number of cases, including the theft of a wiretapping machine. Former SIS officials have been found guilty in other trials. However, none of the sentences has been carried out as appeals are pending. Lexa's co-defendant in the triptych case, his former deputy Jaroslav Svechota, had already been given a conditional two-year prison sentence and ordered to pay 11 million crowns (roughly $375,000) in another case. Svechota died in November 2004. A MURDERER AND KIDNAPPER? For many Slovaks, Lexa has become the embodiment of the political misuse of the security services by Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar between 1994 and 1998. The list of allegations against Lexa's SIS include murder, kidnapping, collusion with the underworld, surveillance of political opponents and journalists, theft, counterfeiting identity documents, and plots to foil the Czech Republic's bid for NATO membership. Like Meciar, Lexa and the SIS are therefore seen as a major reason why Slovakia failed to enter NATO at the same time as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, and why its bid for EU membership faltered badly. Lexa himself still faces charges of fraud, sabotage, and illegally destroying SIS weapons. But the gravest charge brought against Lexa is that he ordered the murder in April 1996 of Robert Remias, a case that relates to the most politically charged allegation against him--that he masterminded the kidnapping in 1995 of Michal Kovac, son of then-President Michal Kovac. Remias, a former police officer, was a friend of Oskar Fegyveres, an SIS employee and key witness who confirmed that the SIS had masterminded the kidnapping of Kovac Jr. The kidnappers were apprehended in Austria as they tried to spirit Kovac over the border to Germany, where he was wanted on commercial charges. After a confession by Fegyveres, the Austrian authorities sent Kovac Jr. back to Slovakia rather than Germany and raised the possibility that members of Slovak government agencies were involved. Police now believe Lexa contracted the killing of Remias out to an underworld boss, Miroslav Sykora, who gave two men--Imrich Olah and Jozef Rohac--2 million crowns (now worth about $68,000) to carry out the commission. The investigations have been complicated because the murder took place almost 10 years ago and because Sykora was killed in 1997. Rohac and Olah have been missing for several years. Svechota, Lexa's deputy in the SIS, said in a 1999 interview for the weekly Plus 7 dni that Meciar was "an ideological father of the kidnapping" and that Lexa managed the whole operation. Svechota said the main aim was to discredit President Kovac and to destabilize the Slovak political scene. LEXA AND THE COURTS Lexa himself published a book in late 2004 entitled Unos (Kidnapping)--but it revealed nothing about the kidnapping of Kovac Jr. Instead, it gave an account of several years that he spent on the run from the Slovak courts before being seized in South Africa. Lexa maintains his extradition was a kidnapping. Lexa was captured in 2002 in the South African guest house of a former colleague, two years after he fled Slovakia. At the time of his escape, Lexa faced eight charges, but he had been released from prison in July 1999 after three months in custody. Only a few months after his extradition, a court again ordered his release on the grounds that there was no reason to believe he would try to escape the country. Lexa has also proved successful in the libel courts, winning 1 million crowns in a libel case against a national newspaper, Hospodarske noviny--twice the sum he has been ordered to pay in the triptych case. He also won a ruling in a libel case against the weekly Domino Forum, but a final decision is still awaited in that case. Meanwhile, several incidents have prompted claims that Lexa associates are intimidating people involved in or investigating Lexa's activities in his time as head of the intelligence agency. In December 2002, a grenade exploded outside the house of an associate of an underworld boss named Mikulas Cernak. Police believe it was a warning to Cernak not to testify against Lexa in the Remias case. A filmmaker making a documentary on the kidnapping reported receiving threats from a former member of the SIS. Court cases relating to Lexa have regularly caused controversy, prompting the evident relief expressed by Vladimir Farkas, spokesperson of the Banska Bystrica bishopric, when he said after the triptych case that "It seems that the rule of law is starting to follow morality." Some are proceeding slowly--sometimes because of the judges. One of them was officially dismissed from some SIS cases after taking none of the steps required from her for over a year. In some instances, defense lawyers have successfully slowed down proceedings. In others, such as the Remias murder, investigations are ongoing. Investigations were closed in August 2004, but the prosecutor ordered new interrogations of witnesses. Her decision came just one day before she was due to hand the case over to a newly established Special Prosecutor's Office, which is responsible for criminal cases involving public officials and organized crime. In mid-December, Special Prosecutor Dusan Kovacik, who is now in charge of the investigation, said he hoped to make a final statement in mid-January. However, there has been no update on the case since then. Officials said in December that three more witnesses had implicated Lexa in the killing. If found guilty, Lexa faces a life sentence. LEXA AND PARLIAMENT Some of the accusations against the SIS may never be resolved in any court. It looks unlikely, for example, that Lexa will ever face a court over his role in the Kovac kidnapping itself because of an amnesty issued by Meciar in 1998 near the end of his premiership, when he assumed the presidential right to issue amnesties after Kovac's term ended. The amnesty originally covered investigations into the kidnapping of Kovac Jr. Meciar later extended the amnesty to include crimes connected with the kidnapping. The courts look likely to hear the Remias case, despite its connection to the kidnapping. However, overturning the amnesty relating to the kidnapping itself looks like an almost insurmountable obstacle. In 1999, Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda tried to circumvent the amnesty, but after an appeal by Svechota, the Slovak Constitutional Court upheld Meciar's decision. The Christian Democrats (KDH), a member of the current governing coalition, have twice tried another route to get around Meciar's move--by amending the constitution. The party twice submitted bills to that effect, but they failed to win the necessary 90 votes in the 150-member chamber. The KDH is currently planning a third attempt, but statements in the weeks since the KDH's announcement indicate the bill will fail once again. Some commentators believe the KDH's bid for support is being complicated by suggestions that Dzurinda's party, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union, has acted in concert with Meciar's Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) in some parliamentary votes. The parties are cooperating in some parts of the country ahead of regional elections in December 2005, and Dzurinda, the man who led the effort to undo Meciar's legacy, has praised the HZDS as a constructive and responsible opposition. While political analysts and some politicians say that ghosts of the Meciar past will only be chased away by a fair trial, it seems very possible that the most political charge against Lexa may never be heard in court. From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 1 08:18:20 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 08:18:20 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Cultural Property Protection Net and Museum Security Network mailing lists messages January 2005 Message-ID: <20050201071821.VPUL22540.amsfep16-int.chello.nl@cremers> Cultural Property Protection Net and Museum Security Network mailing lists messages January 2005 Archives accessible at: Archive Cultural Property Protection http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/ Archive Museum Security Network http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/msn-list/ Cpprot list * Trafficking Stolen Religious Art a Big Business in Mexico * Alle Spuren f?hren nach St. Louis; Stuttgarter Staatsgalerie und Sotheby's streiten um US-Beutekunst * SAFE (Saving Antiquities For Everyone) will exhibit at the 2005 Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America (Roger Atwood will lead a "Stolen History Tours" at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts) * January 6, 2005: Israel releases name suspect in alleged antiquities fraud; UK hands over 30 Iranian ancient artifacts; India, Post-theft scurry for magic eye; Stolen calligraphy recovered in Beijing; Looting of Iraq's Antiquities Continues; Breitwieser * January 7, 2005: In fine art, many fakes survive; Manischer Kunstdieb vor Gericht: Fast stolz auf Zerst?rungstaten; Peru - USA: Altarpiece Theft Inquiry Inconclusive * Robbery in the T?jhusmuseet in Copenhagen (The Royal Danish Arsenal Museum) * En busca del patrimonio perdido * La empecinada libertad del arte * Thieves steal 17th century Dutch paintings worth $13 million; The robbers took 15 to 20 paintings from the Westfries Museum * Kuwaiti art recovery * complete list of paintings aand silverware stolen from museum on line * As prices of Egyptian antiquities auctioned abroad continue to rise, Jill Kamil considers the role smuggling continues to play in the trade * FW: Guardian Unlimited | Arts news | Back to school for binmen whothought modern art was a load of old rubbish * FBI Art-Theft Team Meets In Philly * Kunstdiebe lieben Frankreichs Kirchen / art thieves love French churches * China: Protecting relics tops priorities * Looting Iraq: A Conversation With Museum Director Donny George * FW: Plus de 28 000 objets d'art retrouv?s en Italieen 2004 * Ancient Babylon site wrecked by US-led forces: British Museum * Another valuable art theft in The Netherlands * Putin Says Trophy-Art Return Is Negotiable - The St. Petersburg Times. General news from St.Petersburg and Russia] * Jordan foils smuggling of Egypt antiques - (United Press International)] * Ireland: ?7,500 painting stolen from hospital * Babylon wrecked by war * [Fwd: Article on Max Stern and his art collection looted by the Nazis] * [Fwd: Re: Fwd: Babylon wrecked by war] * U.S. Returns 3 Stolen Artifacts to Iraq * [Fwd: Cassirer v. Hahn] Nazis had looted treasured pieces * USA: Missing antiques unveil theft plot * "I don't feel any sympathy for people like Martin Sch?yen. I don't care how many professors he buys and how many descriptions he makes of his looted material. It is looted." * Lagos: Community orders Christians to return artefacts from looted shrines * Una Biga Trafugata studio753bc at comcast.net * Maori heads, plus a bone, are being returned to New Zealand by Glasgow Museums * MOST ARTFUL DODGE; British art collector has made fools of the feds. FBI probe described as lazy and shoddy * physician and Harvard professor to stand trial for allegedly trying to sell a fake painting to an undercover police officer * Attorney hunts down art thieves * Germany demands return of rare book found in the USA * Archeologist unearths biblical controversy * Azerbaijan to return swords to Iranian museum * Beijing donne la priorit? ? la protection des reliques * New IFAR journal * Wir finanzieren die Raub-Arch?ologie im Irak; Warum es sich lohnt, das Kulturerbe des Abendlandes zu vernichten * US occupation damages ancient sites at Babylon; Imperialism and cultural vandalism in Iraq * Israel: Man sentenced for 2nd Temple artifacts theft * USA: Saving water-damaged artifacts in Canton * USA: Photo treasure survives fire * Palestinian jailed for stealing antiquities * Michel van Rijn released without charges * Dealer, museum battle over book of drawings * New Mexico: Antiques Dealer: $75, 000 Reward Is Real for Zuni Kachina * Robbing the cradle of civilization * Museum researcher's career threatened after he published favorable piece; Smithsonian in uproar over intelligent-design article * Raids net thousands of artifacts in Oregon; two-year effort that results in seizures of archeological and native relics from 22 sites points to the scope of the illegal market * ?Saisie exceptionnelle? d'art africain d'une ?valeur inestimable? * As expected, Michel van Rijn hits back hard .. * SAFE supports China's request Cindy Ho * FW: Dorothy King's allegations * CULTURE-NIGER: Les autorit?s sont-elles conscientes du vol des pi?ces arch?ologiques? * Give us back our chariot, Umbrian villagerstell the Metropolitan Museum * Re: CPProt Digest, Vol 4, Issue 26 Dorothy King * News Telegraph Article by Bruce Johnston studio753bc at comcast.net * Kain (Cain) Depicted Killing Abel on the Parthenon? * "History Twice Removed" Tour ? with Professor Senta German Cindy Ho * Militant Muslims Act to Suppress Dutch Film and Art Show # Help of Interpol sought to trace Buddha head stolen from Indian museum # FW: Drei H?user im Weltkulturerbe Quedlinburg abgebrannt / Three houses burnt down in World Heritage town of Quedlinburg, Germany... (see comments below) # Re: FW: Drei H?user im Weltkulturerbe Quedl inburg abgebrannt / Three h... # More about the Quedlinburg fire, numertous art treasures may be involved / Palais Salfeldt: In dem Geb?ude befinden sich auch zahlreiche Kunstsch?tze # Museum worker stole 2,500 items # State-Of-The-Art Security System showcased at North Carolina Museum # policy query on guest access to secured spaces # FW: HVAC # Fire reveals museum secret # policy query on guest access to secured spaces # RE: Question # policy query on guest access to secured spaces # As in Calcutta, so in London: Pilferers strike in V&A Museum on the same day # USA, Library: Stolen Local library book turns up in e-sale # Thieving librarian gets six months; Director stole $100,000 from Homer district # Anna Amalia Bibliothek nach Brand wieder offen / Anna Amalia Library reopend after fire # Proc?s du voleur de tableaux par ?amour de l'art? \ law suit againts Breitwieser, this time in France # India: Cops punch holes in security drill # January 6, 2005: Stolen calligraphy recovered in Beijing # Lawsuit against the " looter of museums " / Proc?s du "pilleur de mus?e" # STOLEN CARAVAGGIO "RETURNS" TO PALERMO # Manischer Kunstdieb vor Gericht: Fast stolz auf Zerst?rungstaten / Manic art thief in court: almost proud of destruction he caused # Re: Manischer Kunstdieb vor Gericht: Fast sto lz auf Zerst?rungstaten /... # Doorman charged with robbing tenants; including gold bracelets, diamond and pearl earrings, Cartier necklaces, 1940s brooches and an emerald and ruby ring # Tentative de suicide du pilleur de mus?e St?phane Breitwieser (suicide attempt Breiwieser) # Trois ans de prison ferme requis contre St?phane Breitwieser # Robbery in the T?jhusmuseet in Copenhagen (The Royal Danish Arsenal Museum) # Charges amended for local man charged accused in museum theft case # In Frankreich und Deutschland andere Strafen f?r Kunstdiebstahl / different penalties for theft in France and Germany # French Court Sentences Art Thief to Prison # Library Sues Ex-Director over Missing Funds # Du mus?e ? la prison # Le proc?s de St?phane Breitwieser s'est achev? en psychodrame familial # Payroll clerk cops to $200G museum theft # ROBO EN INAUGURACION DE MUSEO DE MARADONA EN NAPOLES # Roban en la iglesia de Santa Catalina un busto del siglo XV que representa a un obispo # Church theft, Spain: ?ltimo robo; "Se llevaron la pieza menos pesada" / "they took the less heavy piece" # La iglesia de Santa Catalina ha sufrido diversos robos en los ?ltimos a?os # Juzgan a un funcionario por robar obras del Museo Nacinal de Arte de Catalu?a # India: Museum huddle over exit points # USA: Next chapter of arsonist, art thief's odyssey to take place in county jail # New Zealand: Thieves steal valuable paintings # Stolen art is often lost for good; Several agencies investigate cases # Museum huddle over exit points # Burglary in Netherlands museum (Westfries Museum, Hoorn) # Thieves steal 17th century Dutch paintings worth $13 million; The robbers took 15 to 20 paintings from the Westfries Museum # Espa?a: Los ladrones entraron por la casa en obras del p?rroco # Mexico: Roban arte sacro de iglesia poblana # Recuperato prezioso dipinto dell'ottocento (Domenico Induno: "Il suonatore di violino") / painting stolen at the Pinacoteca Civica recovered by the Carabinieri # Argentina: Secuestran 600 f?siles que iban a venderles a turistas / theft of 600 fossils # India: Prod to govt on heritage force # PLEASE HELP TIDAL WAVE HIT LIBRARIES IN SRI LANKA # USA: Man Freed After Conviction In O'Keeffe Theft, but Remains Prime Suspect In Second Case # Goa: Fire destroys two WWF galleries in city museum # Restituci?n cultural y malas traduciones # Australia: Cobar museum fleeced of historic bronze statue # India: Library allowed private guards # Rate of Culture Loss # Fw: PATRIMONIO EN PELIGRO/Arequipa Peru # complete list of paintings aand silverware stolen from museum on line # Art Security Systems # USA: Regional sampler of stolen art # FBI Art-Theft Team Meets In Philly # Kunstdiebe lieben Frankreichs Kirchen / art thieves love French churches # Italy: Sfondano vetrata con auto e rubano 3mila euro nella galleria d'arte # Shibden treasure raided (historic 15th century Shibden Hall Museum, Halifax) # Whitney manager admits stealing $850G # India: Burglars broke into a museum at Matsyagandha # India: Fingerprints 'nail' museum curator in Buddha theft # Gang 'scouted' museum before theft # CLUB ARCHIVES, 125-year-old club's archives and historic photographs, LOST IN RAGING FLOODWATERS; # Re: Restituci?n cultural y precedentes internacionales # Re: Restituci?n cultural y precedentes internacionales # Re: PATRIMONIO EN PELIGRO/Arequipa Peru # Italy Art Trafficker Duped U.S.Museums, Police Say # USA: Security issues raised in Shoshone after museum theft # south-africa: No clarity on status of seized museum arms # Australia: Art heist inaction angers owner # Another valuable art theft in The Netherlands # FBI team to target art thieves # Rome police claim Christie's auction painting stolen. 16/01/2005. ABC News Online] # de la Biblioteca Nacional del Per? # Funcionarios ?(p?blicos) con premio # Re: Funcionarios (p?blicos) con premio 2do seguimiento # Re: Funcionarios (p?blicos) con premio 3do seguimiento # [Fwd: Emergency Salvage Procedures consultants/ trainers] # Millionen-Diebstahl im G?ppinger M?rklin-Museum # Fw: Challapampa y otras restituciones culturales # USA: Museum cleanup after fire costly # Kunst-Diebstahl brachte nur 160 Euro f?r Schrottwert ein # wanted: information about experiences with water mist systems # CHALLAPAMPA en MSN-list Digest, Vol 4, Issue 22 # Caral y la ?tica arqueol?gica internacional # National Conference Webpage # Dali Sculpture Damaged While on Exhibit in South Korea # Bronze Swords Stolen From Gettysburg Park (second such theft in four months) # Stately home 'to rise from ashes'; library suffered severe water damage # Keine Spur von T?tern nach Diebstahl in M?rklin-Museum # Man questioned about fire at museum is sentenced Terre Haute, CANDLES Holocaust museum) # Mahopac, USA: Someone Tried To Burn Down New Library # M?rklin: 60 Hinweise, aber keine hei?e Spur; Ermittlungstruppe besteht aus sieben Beamten # RE: Water Mist # Arrestation d'un complice pr?sum? du vol de deux Van Gogh # Third Suspect in Van Gogh Thefts Detained # Roban esculturas de bronce en Argentina # Museon Museum, The Netherlands: Diamond theft investigation abandoned # Sprinkler defect: Sage Branch Library closes after water leak # New IFAR journal # Precious art is hung today, gone tomorrow (Johannesburg Art Gallery) # USA: rare 1880s kachina stolen from Taos museum # Attempted theft from showcase at British Museum # Hopkins man arrested in connection with antique jewelry theft (theft from glass showcase) # USA: Worker hurt in 20-foot fall through art museum ceiling # El Museo Brit?nico cierra sus puertas herm?ticamente durante unos minutos por un intento de robo (RETENIDOS LOS MILES DE TURISTAS) # Library raid - 'Alarm ws turned off' # USA: GUNS STOLEN FROM DEA MUSEUM # Product information: Fog security for museum protection # New Mexico: Museum Video Shows Kachina Theft Suspects # Canada (Art Gallery of Nova Scotia): Vandalized Colville paintings raise security concerns # Give us back our chariot, Umbrian villagerstell the Metropolitan Museum # Roban varias obras de Dal? de una galer?a de arte de Amberes # Des oeuvres de Dali vol?es dans une galerie ? Anvers _________________________ Museum Security Network http://www.museum-security.org/ toncremers at museum-security.org Archive Cultural Property Protection http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/ Archive Museum Security Network http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/msn-list/ _________________________ From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 1 14:52:03 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 14:52:03 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?UK=3A_Hospital=27s_art_work_stolen?= =?iso-8859-1?q?=3B_Trust_reviews_security_after_=A37=2C500_paintin?= =?iso-8859-1?q?g_snatched?= Message-ID: <20050201135203.VEMB24449.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> Hospital's art work stolen Trust reviews security after ?7,500 painting snatched By Nevin Farrell 01 February 2005 Health bosses have revealed they are now examining the security of valuable paintings at dozens of buildings after it emerged a ?7,500 picture swiped by thieves was donated to a hospital by a patient who subsequently passed away. Thieves strolled into the Braid Valley Hospital in Ballymena, which has a unit for the terminally ill, and pulled the secured picture from a wall. Hospitals often have paintings and other gifts given to them as bequests by patients and their families. The latest theft has prompted a security review across dozens of buildings which are run by the United Hospitals Trust. A United Hospitals Trust spokesperson commented: "The trust very much appreciates bequests, such as the painting in Braid Valley Hospital, and regrets that anyone would steal an item donated to give pleasure to patients, staff and the public. "The approach to displaying valuable artwork is one which endeavours to balance making art visible and accessible with implementing reasonable measures to minimise the likelihood of theft. "The painting in question was encased in a cabinet which was secured to the wall. "A photograph of the painting is now with the police for identification purposes. "In light of this recent incident the trust will be reviewing the arrangements in place on all of the trusts premises and will determine if any additional measures can reasonably be implemented," the spokesperson said. The Braid Valley Hospital has some of the best pictures of Ballymena's historic Seven Towers, which have given the town the informal title of City of the Seven Towers. The pictures used to be displayed near the hospital entrance but have been moved in recent times. However, the trust said it was not because of the fear of thieves. The trust spokesperson added: "With regard to the photographs of the Seven Towers, they were relocated as part of the renovation work undertaken on site and in particular at the main entrance and can be found and viewed along the main corridor." In January 2003, police recovered five paintings which were stolen from the Braid Valley Hospital. Three of the paintings were found in a holdall near the hospital grounds and another two were stashed in a hedge. In 2000, thieves stole a handbag from the bedside of a terminally ill patient and last year a thief stole a purse from a room for patients' relatives. The Braid Valley Hospital is close to areas of Ballymena where drugs have been a major problem in recent years. With some addicts spending hundreds of pounds a week on heroin habits, police have admitted many thefts throughout the town are connected to the drug problem. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 1 18:23:29 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 18:23:29 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Tackling Kenya's 'booklifters' Message-ID: <20050201172329.OLYC12698.amsfep15-int.chello.nl@cremers> Tackling Kenya's 'booklifters' A student in Kenya has turned to the BBC to help investigate the problem of continued theft of books from the country's libraries. Ruben Gitahi asked BBC World Service's Outlook programme to look into the practice of "booklifting" - which he said was becoming "rampant" in the country's cities. "Most of our library users and library staff that I spoke to have told me they have been losing books from the bookshelves, day in day out," he said. "Most of the shelves are empty. They're very concerned about this issue." Poverty reduction lifeline Nairobi's MacMillan library, one of the oldest libraries in Kenya, has long suffered from booklifting. "It has been going on for a long time," Lorna Maruti, the chief librarian, told Outlook. She explained that the books usually stolen are textbooks, which were intended for students and schoolchildren. The library has now instigated a rule to only allow the books to be read if a staff member is around. Ms Maruti added that she wished for a photocopying facility, so readers could copy the pages they required. Although library users have to leave their bags at the entrance, some manage to take even large books by hiding them under jackets. "You can't know unless you check properly," Ms Maruti said. "Sometimes if a security person has gone to the toilet, [the thief] might get away with it." One library user, Bernard Ador, described booklifting as "commonplace." "A lot of people around Nairobi are poor," he added. "They would grab an opportunity to steal a book." And Attienna Okundu, of the National Book And Development Council Of Kenya, said that booklifting is a concern "for almost every library." "When we train librarians, the issue of security is one of the central issues addressed," she added. "If books get lost and they are out of print, it is like dealing a death blow to the book collector." She called for Kenya's government - together with book handlers - to educate the public. "Books preserve our culture, they are our lifeline in education," she stressed. "They are also our lifeline in poverty reduction. It is important that we know how to take care of our resources. "Stealing is something that we are grappling in every sector. I think it's important for the public to know that stealing anything is a vice." BBC World Service's Outlook programme will continue to follow the story of Mr Gitahi's investigation on air and online over the coming weeks. Click on the link above if you have an issue you would like the programme to investigate. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/4210575.stm _________________________ Museum Security Network http://www.museum-security.org/ toncremers at museum-security.org Archive Cultural Property Protection http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/ Archive Museum Security Network http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/msn-list/ _________________________ From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Feb 2 06:34:36 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 06:34:36 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] FW: Cultural Heritage and World Bank SRMP Propject in Turkey (MSN.NL) Message-ID: <20050202053437.CHJU24449.amsfep12-int.chello.nl@cremers> _____ From: SAADET GUNER [mailto:saadetg at tnn.net] Sent: 02 February 2005 05:14 To: info at museum-security.org; cpprot at te.verweg.com Subject: Fw: Cultural Heritage and World Bank SRMP Propject in Turkey (MSN.NL) Dear President And Professors I am very glad to inform you that Website of the "Project for Protecting the Cultural Heritage in Seferihisar and Presenting Them To Cultural Tourism" (http://www.chprojects.org. or the http://www.kmprojeleri.org) was achieved. This Project was prepared and organized with in the framework of the Social Risk Mitigation Project (SRMP) of the World Bank implemented in Turkey through the Social Solidarity Fund of The Prime Ministry Of The Republic of Turkey (SYDTF) for 2001. In this Project, the protection of the cultural heritages was considered as "the real investments" to struggle against poverty and unemployment and to improve the environmental, economic, social and cultural development of the Seferihisar district of ?zmir city that is the third big city of Turkey located on the Aegean Coasts. In the light this approach, cleaning of the surroundings of TEOS Ancient City (BC. 2000) and Sigacik Castle (AD1.500) and scientific Works on them was made. Citizens living in Seferihisar and within the scope of valuable and voluntary supports of Commandership of the Communication Training Unite Gendarmerie in Seferihisar to the Project , a total of 250 soldiers doing their military service in it were educated particularly on the importance of the protection of the cultural heritage and prevent of their illicit trade. Within the scope of this project; lower or no income M. A students and undergraduates ( 9) from Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Fine Arts and Department of American Culture and Literature of Dokuz Eyl?l University (DEU), ?zmir and lower or no income citizens (11, three of them were women and two of them were high school students. ) from Seferihisar, totally 20 people were employed temporarily in two months under the guarantee Social Insurance. They were given "official minimum subsistence wage monthly" in Turkey. The Website of the Project is deemed as the most important and the fastest instrument to exchange information on the protection of the cultural heritage and cultural heritage management among the academics, students and public, etc. in the World and to pass safely the information on Project works and cultural properties of Seferihisar to next generations. Project Works and its contributions presented as a paper to; the IX Forum UNESCO International Conference (Buenos Aires-Argentina 11-17 October 2004, ), 9. International Workshop "Archaeology and Computers-Looted Past-Digitalized Future" (Vienna, Austria 3-5 November 2004) III. International Conference on "Archeology and Conservation, (Jordan 7-11 December 2004) and will be presented to X Forum UNESCO Conference in UK, 2005) . One of the long-term objectives of the project is to make this website a web portal that includes all the information / papers / documents and websites about the projects and workings being realized for "Protection and Management of Cultural Heritage", in Turkey and the entire World. So, except our works, you can also find on this website some papers related to the civic initiatives established in Turkey, their activities and international papers, in order to the protection of the cultural Heritage in Saudi Arabia and Iraq (2002 and 2003) and also some activities about the protection of the cultural heritage in the World. I would like to thank you in advance for your kind consideration and visit of the website of the Project and your message sent to website's "guest book" related to you thoughts, advises etc. on the Project. I will be very glad if you send the papers, .web adress, projects, activities about "cultural heritage as a "the real investments" to struggle against poverty, unemployment and to improve the environmental, economic, social and cultural development of the region" and "Teos Ancient City and S?gac?k Castle" to saadet.guner at chprojects.org .We plan to have a data bank on the web site about these subjects. At least I will be honor if you accept as a link the Website of the Project on your web site. "A Nation Stays Alive If Its Culture Stays Alive " Looking forward to hear from you soon, I remain, Yours truly Mrs. SAADET GUNER, Project Designer and Consultant On Behalf of Project Team, January 28, 2005 NOTE: Please kindly disseminate this message among your colleagues Phone and Fax : +90 232 747 42 28 Mobile Phone: +90 532 417 35 34 Address: Dogankent Sitesi, B6 Yolu, No: 6, Urkmez, Seferihisar- Izmir/Turkey -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050202/69d8913e/attachment.htm From forwardellie at hotmail.com Thu Feb 3 22:43:06 2005 From: forwardellie at hotmail.com (FwdEB) Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 22:43:06 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Espa=F1a=2CLe=F3n_-_La_UPL_propone_a?= =?iso-8859-1?q?_la_Junta_crear_un_inventario_de_obras_de_arte_roba?= =?iso-8859-1?q?das?= Message-ID: Espa?a,Le?n - La UPL propone a la Junta crear un inventario de obras de arte robadas Pretende colgar en Internet datos y fotograf?as de las piezas para descubrir su paradero El objetivo es localizar y recuperar decenas de objetos del Patrimonio art?stico leon?s El Patrimonio leon?s ha estado en el punto de mira de los traficantes de obras de arte durante d?cadas. En algunos casos, las piezas han sido robadas; en otros, supuestamente vendidas por quienes las ten?an bajo su tutela. Museos de todo el mundo poseen objetos ?expoliados? a iglesias, ermitas y museos de Le?n. Hasta la fecha, nadie se ha preocupado por recuperarlos y, menos a?n, por inventariar este importante legado, cuyo paradero es, en la mayor?a de los casos, un misterio. La Uni?n del Pueblo Leon?s (UPL) propondr? a las Cortes la creaci?n de un inventario de todas las piezas saqueadas, del mismo modo que existe un cat?logo de los bienes que integran el Patrimonio Hist?rico. El objetivo es ?colgar? en Internet los datos de las piezas con sus correspondientes fotograf?as -cuando existan-, para conseguir localizar su paradero y, si es posible, iniciar los tr?mites para la ?repatriaci?n?. El trabajo ?sucio? ya lo ha realizado en parte el ex concejal de Cultura Alejandro Valderas, archivero de profesi?n, quien tiene docenas de cajas con informaci?n sobre miles de obras de arte, su descripci?n, la procedencia, la fecha aproximada de su desaparici?n, im?genes y, en algunos casos, su destino final. Hace cuatro a?os Caja Espa?a public? un libro sobre Obras de arte recuperadas por la Guardia Civil, donde se inclu?an algunas de la provincia de Le?n. Tanto los miembros de la Unidad de Patrimonio de la Benem?rita como la Interpol, en sus p?ginas web, subrayan que el porcentaje de recuperaciones de obras de arte robadas es alto (un 24 por ciento) cuando se dispone de fotograf?as. La mitad de los robos de obras de arte del pa?s se concentran en Castilla y Le?n, aunque entre el 23 y el 25 por ciento del material sustra?do regresa a sus propietarios. Sin embargo, muchas de las piezas arrebatadas al Patrimonio provincial llevan d?cadas fuera de la provincia, lo que dificulta su ?rescate?. No obstante, no hay que olvidar que la mism?sima Mona Lisa, de Leonardo da Vinci, fue robada del Louvre en 1911 y recuperada en 1913... Jueves, 3 de Febrero de 2005 http://www.diariodeleon.com/se_cultura/imprimir_noticia.jsp?CAT=114&TEXTO=3424713 From forwardellie at hotmail.com Thu Feb 3 22:47:09 2005 From: forwardellie at hotmail.com (FwdEB) Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 22:47:09 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Los ladrones de obras de arte prosperan en Africa Message-ID: Los ladrones de obras de arte prosperan en Africa 11:37 A.M., 03 Febrero 2005 DAKAR, Feb 3 (AFP) - El robo de obras de arte y piezas arqueol?gicas se ha convertido en un gran negocio en la casi totalidad de los pa?ses de Africa, destruyendo buena parte de la historia del continente. Las aduanas francesas acaban de incautarse de un env?o "excepcional" de arte africano procedente de N?ger con destino a B?lgica, que cubre "pr?cticamente toda la historia y la prehistoria de Africa". Esta incautaci?n, efectuada el 6 de enero, pero revelada la semana pasada, constaba de 845 piezas, que iban desde dientes de dinosaurios a cer?mica, pasando por puntas de flechas. A niveles diferentes, varios pa?ses africanos son v?ctimas de este tr?fico, que adem?s de a los comanditarios, implica, a veces, a responsables oficiales, as? como a turistas y a poblaciones pobres, dispuestas a vender todo. En Mali, el delta interior del N?ger y el pa?s Dog?n (centro), con gran riqueza cultural, son unas de las zonas predilectas de los traficantes, seg?n el jefe de la misi?n cultural de Djenne (centro, Boubacar Hama Diaby. Senegal no est? considerado como "una zona de predilecci?n sino como una zona de tr?nsito", explica el director del patrimonio hist?rico y etnogr?fico, Hamady Bocoum. En Guinea Bissau, las autoridades siguen buscando decenas de objetos esculpidos que desparecieron en los a?os 1998/1999. Egipto ha registrado varios casos de robo y tr?fico de antig?edades. El ?ltimo, conocido en marzo del pasado a?o, afecta a 40.000 piezas de antig?edades fara?nicas robadas hace cuatro a?os, vendidas en Europa y de las que 619 fueron entregadas posteriormente a Egipto por Gran Breta?a. Argelia es tambi?n un territorio codiciado por los traficantes. Decenas de casos de robos y tr?fico de piezas arqueol?gicas, en particular en los parques nacionales saharianos de Hoggar y Tassili, se han denunciado en los ?ltimos a?os. El ?ltimo afecta a cinco 'turistas' alemanes interceptados a finales de noviembre del 2004 con 130 "piezas arqueol?gicas protegidas" en el parque nacional de Tassili (sur), seg?n el director de la oficina de dicho parque. En T?nez, unos de los pocos casos que han trascendido a la prensa remonta a varios a?os e implicaba a uno de los allegados de un ministro depuesto y otro a la c?nsul honoraria de Seychelles. Tambi?n se han registrado casos de saqueos arqueol?gicos en Marruecos, en particular en lo que respecta a cer?micas portuguesas, tapices, joyas, madera y piedras talladas. Ante los saqueos, los pa?ses de Africa intentan organizarse, muchos introduciendo leyes que penalizan fuertemente este tipo de robos, pero parece dif?cil impedir los robos y el tr?fico, en particular, por la falta de medios materiales, financieros y humanos para asegurar la vigilancia de los centros arqueol?gicos y parques. http://www.mipunto.com/punto_noticias/noticia_entretenimiento.jsp?tipo=ARTE&archivo=050203153731.p70x3r92.txt From forwardellie at hotmail.com Sat Feb 5 09:21:42 2005 From: forwardellie at hotmail.com (FwdEB) Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 09:21:42 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] The illicit trade: US considers Chinese request for import restrictions Message-ID: The illicit trade: US considers Chinese request for import restrictions Opponents say China must first prove it is adequately protecting its own cultural heritage The US Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC) is meeting in closed session on 17 and 18 February to consider a request from the People's Republic of China that the US restrict import of all Chinese cultural materials predating 1912. The request, made last September under the 1970 Unesco Convention, seeks assistance in protecting Chinese cultural heritage, which China says is increasingly subject to pillage and smuggling. It has elicited objections from both the US market and scholars, and faces an uphill battle to gain approval. The CPAC will also hold an open session to receive comments from the public. Dealers, auctioneers and museum officials are expected to testify. CPAC chairman Jay Kislak told The Art Newspaper that a second meeting will take place before a decision is reached. According to the 1987 US law implementing the Unesco accord, to approve the request the CPAC must determine not only that China's cultural heritage is in jeopardy from the looting of archaeological sites, but also that China has already taken measures consistent with the convention to protect its own cultural patrimony. Opponents argue that China has a deplorable record of protecting its cultural patrimony and does not effectively enforce its own export restrictions. They further argue that the US is being singled out among many countries that have large markets in Chinese cultural goods. James F. Fitzpatrick, an attorney with Arnold & Porter in Washington, DC, who serves as counsel to antiquities dealers and has been retained to work on the China issue, told The Art Newspaper, "one of the statutory standards requires that the requesting party be responsible stewards of their own cultural heritage. The Chinese have a deplorable record in that regard, inundating thousands of sites with the Three Gorges Dam, and desecrating Tibetan culture". James Lally, a New York dealer in Asian art, also questions the legitimacy of the request at a time when the Chinese are rapidly building up a large internal auction market. Experts say the most important sales in the field are taking place at China Guardian in Beijing and other auction houses. New pools of wealth in the country are creating a flow of material back into China (see p.41). The Chinese appear to be cornering that market: on 1 January, China permitted foreign auction houses to do business in China, but 10 days later stipulated that they not deal in Chinese art. "You don't impose an import ban in this country to help another country enforce its export control system", says Mr Fitzpatrick. Mr Lally says that "with regard to looting, this will have no impact as long as there continues to be a growing market inside China, and strong markets for Chinese material, such as in Japan, which dwarfs the one in the US. No other country is going to engage on this task", he says. Robert Mowry, curator of Asian art at Harvard University, feels the restrictions are a form of "isolationism" that would chill cultural exchange. Permitting export of works vetted by a cultural commission "would allow free, if regulated, international exchange that would foster world understanding of China. A blanket freeze could lead to a de facto embargo". However, not everyone is opposed to the proposed ban. Gwen Bennett, professor of Chinese archaeology at Washington University in St Louis, says, "I'm an archaeologist who has worked on the ground in China and I have seen the damage done by the looters first-hand. I believe that the ban will put a small dent in the overall export of illicit antiquities from China. It will help somewhat to curb the illicit trade if one of the major art markets is taken away". http://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/article.asp?idart=11710 From forwardellie at hotmail.com Sat Feb 5 09:22:04 2005 From: forwardellie at hotmail.com (FwdEB) Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 09:22:04 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] India: National Survey on Manuscripts planned Message-ID: National Survey on Manuscripts planned NEW DELHI, FEB. 4. Buoyed by the results of a pilot survey that unearthed about seven lakh manuscripts from 53 districts across three States in five days, the Government plans to undertake the first-ever National Survey of Manuscripts to piece together the country's ``unknown, inaccessible and fragmented'' intellectual heritage. To be undertaken by the two-year-old National Mission for Manuscripts, locating the scattered treasure trove of manuscripts was part of the original mandate of the Mission. But, even as the then political dispensation at the Centre spoke about tracking down the five million manuscripts India is said to be home to, officials were not too optimistic given the general ignorance about India's written tradition. A pilot survey conducted in December last in all of Orissa, 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh and 10 districts of Bihar has made officials at the Union Culture Ministry sit up and take notice; enough to decide to push for the launch of the first-ever National Survey of Manuscripts in the next financial year. Preceded by a massive awareness campaign the survey was conducted by the Mission for five days in each of the 53 districts and involved about 2,700 people working on the ground in a ``census-like operation.'' With Orissa being a known repository of palm leaf manuscripts, the entire State was surveyed in one go and 2.9 lakhs manuscripts were found. Bihar yielded 1.5 lakhs manuscripts from 10 districts and Uttar Pradesh two lakhs from 12 districts with 1.8 lakhs being found in Varanasi. While any ``handwritten document with knowledge content over 75 years old'' qualifies to be declared part of India's manuscript heritage as per the Antiquities Act, the pilot survey has brought up documents that date back to the 14th century. The antiquated manuscripts apart, the survey at Unnao, U.P., brought up a one quintal Mahabharata and a 10-metre-long Holy Quran. The Mission plans to take up the north-eastern States, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in the next fiscal in the hope of wrapping up the entire country by 2008. Besides working towards creating a National Manuscripts Library at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, the Mission is also planning a compendium of indigenous techniques in manuscript conservation. Date:05/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/05/stories/2005020505931100.htm From museum-security at museum-security.org Sat Feb 5 20:09:17 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 20:09:17 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Iraq: Museums closed and looting rampant; officials describe the situation on the ground Message-ID: <20050205190917.BQSA12698.amsfep15-int.chello.nl@cremers> Iraq: Museums closed and looting rampant Iraqi officials describe the situation on the ground By Jason Edward Kaufman Violence and instability continue to threaten Iraq's cultural heritage, report officials of the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH). All museums remain closed, and looting of archaeological sites continues. The Iraqis lack the funds, equipment, and personnel to cope with the restoration and maintenance of museums and monuments and the protection of archaeological sites. "None of the planned international initiatives can now be carried out inside Iraq", says Elizabeth Simpson, a professor at the Bard Graduate Center in New York who organised an Iraq session at the Archaeological Institute of America's annual meeting in Boston last month. The Art Newspaper was there. Museums At the National Museum in Baghdad, new security systems have been installed and a wall topped with razor wire has been erected around the building. Last summer the museum welded shut the entrances to the storerooms and the administrative wing. A new storage building with an underground secure bunker will be finished later this year. The conservation laboratory has been refurbished and students are training in Jordan. The latest estimates of objects looted are 15,000 taken from storerooms of which 10,000 have been documented and 3,323 returned. Another 1,450 pieces from other sites have been brought to the museum by Iraqis, police, customs, and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). An in-house report on the thefts based on interviews with more than 90 people has been delivered to the Minister of Culture. Abdul Aziz Hameed, director of the SBAH, says that it is apparent that the perpetrators had inside knowledge of the location of items in the storerooms. It is possible that some people involved still work at the museum, although no action has been taken. A public hearing will be convened when the security situation allows and individuals will be held to account. Other museums in Iraq remain damaged and closed: the Basra Museum is occupied by squatters, the Nasiriya Museum was burned, the Amara Museum was damaged but has been refurbished, the museums at Kufa and Nejef are occupied by the Islamist party, the new Tikrit Museum was destroyed by cruise missiles at the outset of the war (it was empty at the time), and the Mosul Museum, hit by a shell that damaged the Hatrian gallery roof. According to Dr Hameed the museum was looted with 30 bronze panels from the 9th-century BC Assyrian city of Balawat among the losses. In Hatra, controlled detonations at an ammunition dump are damaging nearby Hellenistic, Roman, and Islamic-period buildings. In Mosul, the so-called leaning tower-a slanting minaret that remains from the 12th-century Great Mosque-is at risk as the US attacks that city. Archaeological sites Most of Iraq's 10,000 or more archaeological sites remain unprotected, and many have been pillaged by bands of looters. The SBAH employs 1,600 guards-locals who watch sites close to their villages-but many more are needed to begin to control the pillage. SBAH has recently established a special police division dedicated to archaeological sites. They will patrol in cars with weapons and communications systems and have direct connection with the local police if they need back-up. This Facilities Protection Service already has 1,750 recruits deployed in provinces south of Baghdad. "Unfortunately, the looters are moving on to other provinces", says Dr Hameed, who says the aim is to expand the force to cover the country. Vehicles, radios, and weapons are needed, and Unesco is currently delivering 45 cars as part of a three-year, $5.5-million, UN Development Group programme for Iraq. Donny George, director of the Iraq Museum, estimates that no more than 25% of smuggled objects are stopped at the Iraqi border. To date, Iraqi antiquities have been seized by customs in Saudi Arabia (18 items), Kuwait (38), Syria (360), and Jordan (1,250), as well as about 600 items by US Customs. The confiscated materials will be returned once there is a stable environment in Baghdad. Turkey and Iran have not disclosed what they have seized, despite requests from SBAH. Dr George says that Turkish scholars informed him that antiquities confiscated at the border are being kept in Turkish museums. Security concerns Dr George says he and the museum staff are in constant danger. "These insurgents are killing very distinguished engineers, doctors-it's a kind of campaign to empty the country of intellectual people. Every day when I leave home I sit in my car and I don't know if I will reach the museum or not". Nevertheless, Dr George remains optimistic. "Everyone is concentrating on the violence, but no one mentions that children are going to school, thousands of people are working with the government and getting paid, sometimes 60 times the salary they used to have. No one is mentioning that we have theatre and concerts", says Dr George. "Normal life is coming". http://www.theartnewspaper.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sat Feb 5 21:01:56 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 21:01:56 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Greece: Concern over fate of antiquities lying on theseabed Message-ID: <20050205200157.MALM22540.amsfep16-int.chello.nl@cremers> Concern over fate of antiquities lying on the seabed New bill does little to dispel experts' looting fears Experts know of more than 1,000 wrecks in Greek waters, all vulnerable to looting by antiquities thieves. By Iota Sykka - Kathimerini When a few months ago a leading light in the field of underwater exploration, Robert Ballard, visited Athens, he warned Greeks to guard their wrecks as if he knew what was coming. A bill just released by the Merchant Marine Ministry on underwater diving appears to have raised the more general issue of protecting antiquities in Greek waters. The draft legislation bans recreational diving at underwater archaeological sites. However, the problem is that there are not only specifically designated sites but many others that have not yet been delineated. And because this is Greece, there is no guarantee of protection since the state is not in a position to check the looting of antiquities. The majority of archaeologists have taken issue with the provisions of the bill, as have several environmental organizations such as the Hydra Ecologists' Association "Hydran Seal," the Society of Greek Archaeologists and even professional fishermen who claim the bill will be the coup de grace for their industry. The Environment and Sustainability Chamber recently held a two-day conference to air all their existing reservations about the ministry's bill on "recreational diving." As concern mounts, given the fact that Greece resembles an entire unguarded maritime museum, more groups are joining in the protests against the bill, and the issue has gone from the Greek to the European Parliament. Naturally, the seabed is not an easy place to protect archaeological treasures. For example, in recent years the Underwater Antiquities Ephorate, in cooperation with the Hellenic Center for Marine Research, has found 25 wrecks, but experts know there are more than 1,000 in Greek waters. The seabed cannot be guarded in the same way as antiquities on land; ancient wrecks and their cargoes are at the mercy of anyone who knows how to dive. There have been attempts to loot a wreck containing sarcophagi near Methoni, the wreck at Porto Koufo on Alonissos, the post-Byzantine wreck of Nisyros, a Byzantine wreck off Kastellorizo and another off Antiparos, among others. A statue retrieved by fishermen from the seabed off Kythnos three months ago could have fallen into other hands, as occurred with the "Saarbrucken" statue that has been returned to Greece and is now on exhibit in the National Archaeological Museum. Critics of the bill also warn that new technology, including the use of bathyscapes, has heightened the risk of illegal activities in Greece's seas. Among the more general issues raised by archaeologists, and one which should concern the Culture Ministry, is whether the Merchant Marine Ministry's coast guard service has enough staff to police not only Greece's underwater archaeology but its ecosystems. http://www.ekathimerini.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sat Feb 5 21:05:02 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 21:05:02 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Will we ever see it again? (Cravaggio painting missing from Palermo church since 1969 Message-ID: <20050205200503.DGPI1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> Will we ever see it again? (Filed: 05/02/2005) Writer Peter Robb tells the murky story of a stolen nativity In the fitful last phase of his life, from fleeing Rome in 1606 to vanishing forever in 1610, Caravaggio spent a year in Sicily. He landed in Siracusa in September 1608, after escaping from prison on Malta, moved abruptly to Messina some months later, then on to Palermo. No less suddenly, he caught one of the summer's last galleys back to Naples in 1609. He was attacked on arrival and left for dead. The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, 1610 The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, 1610 Caravaggio was a hunted man after Malta, long remembered in Sicily for sleeping with his sword under the bed and for his explosions of violent rage. He confided ? or proclaimed ? that "all my sins are mortal". But he never stopped painting. And the four big canvases he did in Sicily are as great as anything among his surviving work. At least, there used to be four. Until a rainy autumn night 35 years ago, there was a stunning Nativity by Caravaggio hanging in a Palermo church. Some time between October 17 and 18 1969, it was cut with razor blades from its frame over the altar of the Oratory of San Lorenzo and was never seen again. In the capital of Cosa Nostra, people knew what to think about this, or thought they did, but nobody talked. The silence lasted until November 1996, 27 years after the theft, when the former Mafia heroin refiner Francesco Marino Mannoia was giving evidence in the trial of Giulio Andreotti, the former prime minister who was accused of association with the Mafia. Andreotti was acquitted late last year. Mannoia mentioned, quite parenthetically, that as a young man he had been one of those who stole the Caravaggio Nativity. It was, he said, a theft on commission, carried out so clumsily that the painting on the huge and crudely folded canvas ? more than five square metres ? was irreparably damaged. The person it was stolen for had burst into tears when he saw the ruined work and refused to take it. A lot of other people felt like crying when they heard this. Earlier intimations from an undercover agent and a British journalist had suggested that the painting was intact, at least until the 1980s. Forget about it, Mannoia said he had told the murdered anti-Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone. This was the first account of the Caravaggio theft from inside Cosa Nostra and it seemed to end the story. Three years after this, I was in Rome at the headquarters of the carabinieri's Art Work Protection Unit. I was looking into several matters and not getting much satisfaction. A young officer with gleaming eyes and enormous carabinieri moustaches noticed my discontent. He drew me into his office and closed the door. He had overheard me mention Caravaggio and wanted to talk about the stolen Nativity. "We know where it is," he said. "We're close to getting it back." No recording, no note-taking allowed. What about Marino Mannoia? I asked. Mannoia was a serious and credible witness. Why would he lie about its destruction? "He didn't lie. He just remembered wrongly. Another painting was stolen in Palermo around the same time. That's the one he took, the one that was ruined." The young officer got excited and a colleague looked in to see why he was shouting. The Nativity was about to be recovered - I would see, the carabiniere said, and then I could tell the story. The painting never was recovered, but a couple of years later the details of what the young officer had told me started filtering out. It was not, it turned out, a Cosa Nostra crime at all. The Nativity was stolen that wet Palermo night by local amateurs equipped with a blade and a three-wheeled delivery van. They had seen the painting on TV a few weeks before, in a programme on Italy's hidden treasures. They were amazed at its value and knew it was guarded only by an elderly janitor. One of the thieves had a guest when they brought the canvas home. The visitor was on the run from the police and his brother was a mafioso. It was he who interceded the next day to save the fools who were now in bad trouble for operating on Mafia turf without Cosa Nostra's knowledge or consent, and to deliver the unexpected prize to Cosa Nostra. Years later, the visitor remembered that the painting was damaged in a lower corner - torn when caught in the door of a lift - and he recalled how they had all walked over the canvas when it was unrolled on the floor of the room he slept in. The Nativity passed from one Palermo boss to another to a third, Gerlando "The Rug" Alberti, commander of the Porta Nuova district in Palermo. Alberti ran a heroin refinery outside Palermo, and for the next 12 years, until his arrest in 1981, he also tried to sell the Caravaggio Nativity. The unsaleable prize became a burden. He tried and failed to sell it in Switzerland, Italy and the US. Then Alberti was convicted of killing the owner of a seaside bathing establishment and sentenced to life in prison. Earlier, he had buried an iron chest containing ? apparently ? five kilos of heroin, several million dollars in cash, and the Nativity rolled in a carpet. His nephew, Vincenzo La Piana, who dug the trench the chest was buried in, was arrested some years later and collaborated with the prosecutors. He took them to the place where the chest had been buried, warning them first that it was "unlikely my uncle would have left it there". The Rug hadn't. The Rug's arrest had coincided with the beginning of the extermination phase of the Corleone Mafia's bid for control of Cosa Nostra. This lasted for most of the 1980s and Gerlando Alberti was a lucky one. The Nativity's previous owner, the Palermo boss Rosario Riccobono, was throttled in 1982 at a barbecue lunch organised for that purpose by the Corleonesi. The physical elimination of Palermo's old Mafia families has blocked the Nativity's recovery. The dead can't speak, the survivors, in jail or on witness protection, are no longer on top of things. The Rug knows, but as one of the losers, he has reason for silence. The years pass and the number of people alive who have seen the painting diminishes. When Caravaggio's Nativity is recovered ? and it will be ? something may have survived. So what, from photographs, are we still missing? Caravaggio's last big complex painting is a thrilling and scary revisitation of the central Christian myth. An exhausted and blankly post-partum Mary clutches her belly and stares at the thing on the ground just issued from her. A gymnastic boy angel plunges overhead. The scene is usurped by a lithe and wiry youth in silver hose and a green jacket, with spiky blond hair. With his back to the viewer, his foot touching the Christ child, he twists to face the aged Joseph with a vigorous gesture of disbelief. The Palermo Nativity retains, uniquely among the late tragedies, a final trace of the younger Caravaggio's insolent sense of fun. # Peter Robb is the author of 'Midnight in Sicily' (Panther, ?7.99), and 'M', a book about Caravaggio (Bloomsbury, ?7.99). His most recent book is 'A Death in Brazil' (Bloomsbury, ?16.99). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/02/05/bacara105.xm l&sSheet=/arts/2005/02/05/ixartleft.html From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Feb 6 07:09:47 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 07:09:47 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Spying allegations leveled against Iraqi smuggler Message-ID: <20050206060948.XTRC22540.amsfep16-int.chello.nl@cremers> Spying allegations leveled against Iraqi smuggler By Observer Staff Feb 5, 2005 - Vol.VIII Issue 05 SANA'A - A routine operation to arrest a smalltime Iraqi antique smuggler took an unexpected turn this week when security forces discovered an array of photographic and telescopic equipment when they raided his Hadda home, leading officers to make allegations that the man was also involved in espionage activities. The man, an employee of an international freight company, was arrested at his Sana'a home on February 3 for planning to smuggle more than 700 Yemeni antiques out of the country. Only after searching his house did the police officers come to the conclusion that they may have stumbled on something larger. The police initially acted after being tipped off about the presence of an antiques smuggling operation, said Dr. Abdul-Rahman Jarallah, deputy chairman of the General Organization for Antiquities & Museums, speaking to the Saba News Agency. Jarallah said the authority sent a team of experts to the house to inspect the pieces and found a large collection of ancient coins, bronze statues, Sabaean inscriptions, Islamic manuscripts and other precious items of Yemen's national heritage. The police also found two large telescopes and, hidden amongst pictures of archaeological sites, photographs of the nearby home of Brig. Gen. Ghaleb Al-Qamish, director of operations for the Political Security Office. Also found were pictures of government buildings, the PSO headquarters, and a picture of the Iraqi man next to a foreign ambassador, according to a security source. Although overshadowed by accusations of espionage, the recovery of the antiques is a major coup for Yemen's beleaguered antiquities organization. The smugglers' hoard contained more than 200 statues of humans and animals, ancient and unique coins, and more than 100 pieces of pottery, silver, gems, and antique weapons. During interrogations, the suspect admitted that he had smuggled out a similar quantity of artifacts through Aden airport last year. The police are continuing their investigations. http://www.yobserver.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Feb 6 10:33:19 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 10:33:19 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Iraq: Raiders of the lost artifacts Message-ID: <20050206093320.YDPF1799.amsfep19-int.chello.nl@cremers> Raiders of the lost artifacts Amid the chaos of Iraq's war, the cradle of civilization is being looted By DAVID BALLINGRUD, Times Staff Writer Published February 6, 2005 If Elizabeth Stone had use of a spy satellite, she'd have a chance to stop them. A high-resolution camera looking down from space could pinpoint exactly where and when the thieves and tomb raiders come. It would see them swarm like ants over ancient, partially buried cities in the Iraqi desert, gouging holes in the sand and carrying off hundreds of thousands of treasured artifacts left by long-dead but advanced civilizations - Babylonians, Sumerians, Assyrians. So Stone, an anthropology professor at SUNY Stony Brook, has been looking for a satellite to "borrow" for a survey. She has approached government agencies and private foundations, but so far, no luck. "I am still struggling to come up with the funds," she said. And so in the midst of the bloodshed and suffering of war, a disaster of a different kind is taking place: the unprecedented robbing of the cradle of civilization. Taking advantage of the distractions of two wars, looters have been plundering thousands of sites in the desert between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers - once ancient Mesopotamia. They're well organized, well equipped and in no particular hurry; they know no one is coming to stop them. Armed guards supplied by local tribes stand by, just in case. Soon the land is a moonscape of holes, and antiquities that had rested beneath the sand for thousands of years are on their way to illegal markets all over the world. "It's a cultural disaster," said U.N. official Mounir Bouchenaki. "The biggest we've ever seen," agreed University of South Florida professor of religious studies and longtime Middle East archaeologist James Strange. "The thieves stake out the sites like they would stake a claim on a mine. No one is enforcing the law." The thieves - mostly poor Iraqis - often smuggle the items across the border to Syria, where they can be more safely sold into the shadowy world of art and antiquity collectors, dealers and even some museums willing to dispense with questions. "It's a great tragedy," said Strange. "High art is being stolen; history is being stolen." Iraq's archaeological heritage has been under attack since the first Gulf War, and since the United Nations' economic sanctions created a cash-poor society. "But it has escalated dramatically since the day coalition troops crossed the border in 2003," Stone said. "The damage is really beyond calculation. The world's first cities, many never examined, are being destroyed. These are some of the most archaeologically important sites in the world, and they are being lost forever." What can be done? "For now, nothing," said Strange. Most of the desert sites are far beyond the protection of the Iraq government, he said, and U.S. forces have other priorities. "It's like having 700 bank robbers and 50 cops," he said. An attack by a mob, and by pros Art and antiquity theft has been around forever, all over the world, and even enjoys a kind of romantic appeal. It's not usually a violent crime, after all. Thousands of works of art are stolen every year in countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Russia and the Czech Republic. In Europe, according to Interpol, the number of thefts and the value of the items taken are going up. But that had little in common with what happened at Iraq's National Museum in Baghdad in April 2003. The museum is the archaeological repository for all artifacts from excavations in Iraq. It contains, or did contain, hundreds of thousands of objects covering 10,000 years of human civilization: tablets, reliefs, weapons, seals, pottery, musical instruments, statues large and small. The collection is made of gold, clay, stone, metal, bone, ivory, cloth, paper, glass and wood. U.S. troops had protected the museum, but they left to engage insurgents in another part of the city. By April 10, the museum was teeming with poor Iraqis who took whatever they could to trade for essentials, and with professional thieves who left behind glass cutters and other tools of their trade. Some robbers even knew their way around the museum, heading straight to out-of-the-way rooms that held special valuables. It was a mess. Looters made a determined attempt to drag off a statue that "must have weighed a ton," said Strange. It was so heavy it smashed stairs as it was dragged down them. The looters finally gave up. Some items were rumored to be for sale in Paris and Tehran in a matter of days, according to the Archaeological Institute of America. There was simple vandalism, too, notably the methodical decapitation of 26 statues. In the days that followed, a few items were intercepted at Iraq's borders. A few more were seized in London, Washington and Boston, and some embarrassed Iraqis returned what they had taken. But about 14,000 antiquities remain unaccounted for. Museums and sites in other Iraqi cities didn't fare well, either. Large gold objects - a helmet, a dagger and a vase - were stolen from the Royal Cemetery at Ur. They were later recovered. In the ancient section of Babylon, U.S. troops paid too little attention to the site and caused significant damage, said SUNY professor Stone. "They spread gravel around and filled sandbags with soil still rich in archaeological materials." The Ishtar Gate at Babylon is one of the world's most famous monuments from antiquity. The top part of the gate, with glazed brick decorations showing dragons, bulls and lions, is now in Berlin. But the foundation, with unglazed, molded bricks showing animals, is still in Babylon. The iron gates at either end of the sunken part were stolen in the looting after the war, according to the Archaeological Institute, but were recovered. However, parts have been broken off the gates, and the area is no longer secured. There is also damage to nine of the molded brick figures of dragons. In the early days after the war, experts agree, a military presence at Babylon probably prevented the site from being looted. But a base should not have been established there, wrote J.E. Curtis of the British Museum. It is "one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. This is tantamount to establishing a military camp around the Great Pyramid in Egypt or around Stonehenge in Britain." "What were they thinking?" complained Mike Pitts, editor of British Archaeology in an article written for the Guardian. The significance of Babylon could not have been missed, he wrote. "Babylon the capital city . . . of Nebuchadnezzar, of the hanging gardens described by Herodotus; Babylon the military powerhouse that ravaged its neighbors in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C., yet also developed astronomy, science and art to extraordinary levels. Surely no one in the West was so ignorant at least not to ask: Should we not be concerned?" Where is all the loot? There are more than 10,000 identified archaeological sites in Iraq, most not yet excavated. In these sites are many hundreds of thousands of cuneiform tablets - the written word of ancient civilizations. Most of these tablets are quite small, said USF's Strange, the size of the palm of a human hand or even smaller. Some might be important government communications, but most played a more modest role in society. "Many are simple receipts," he said. "They have yet to be translated. We just haven't gotten to them yet," said Stone of SUNY, who is one of the leaders of a U.S. Agency for International Development project to support reconstruction efforts in Iraq. "Only a handful of people can read them." A small seal, a sculpture or a cuneiform tablet can put quick cash in a poor man's pocket. He might sell it to a middleman or a dealer for a few dollars. That buyer might then sell it for 10 times as much. Eventually, a collector might pay tens of thousands of dollars for something he or she never intends to show anyone. Demand for Mesopotamian artifacts has always been high. Private collectors all around the world treasure them because they go back to the beginning of civilization, and they are ready to spend large sums to possess them. "It's not only a link to the past," said Strange. "For many people, it's a link to their religion. Believers see their religious beliefs coming alive before their eyes." About 150,000 whole cuneiform tablets - "the literary history of Iraq" - are looted each year, said McGuire Gibson of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. But it's not entirely clear where all this material is. "It's floating around on the market somewhere," said Gibson. "Dealers will tell you there is nothing out there, but don't believe it. It's around." Stone thinks there must be a huge number of cuneiform tablets bottlenecked on their way to the open market, at least temporarily. "Somewhere there are warehouses full to the ceiling with looted materials," said Stone. "We don't know how many sites are being looted, but we know there are many. It's said that more Iraqi dirt has been turned over in last 18 months than in all the millennia before. Whole cities look like the surface of the moon." Buying and selling antiquities nearly always breaks one law or another in nearly every country, but many people don't care. Only in the last 30 years or so have many museums, large and small, begun to tidy up their reputations for being willing to overlook the ownership history, or provenance, of an antiquity. Looting prevents scholars from understanding the full meaning and importance of an object, argues Eric Meyers, director of Duke University's graduate program in religion. "When an item is looted, there is no way to re-establish an honest connection between the object and its original context, because so many other individuals have been involved, all of them illegally. When collectors become involved, especially rich ones, the price for antiquities rises very quickly." Worse, he said, many objects are simply tossed out if they don't fetch the desired price. The Emergency Protection for Iraqi Cultural Antiquities Act, passed by Congress last year, was to tighten import restrictions on cultural materials removed from Iraq, but it has had little effect, said Strange. "People at our borders are looking for terrorists, not artifacts," he said. The University of Chicago's Oriental Institute maintains a Web site tracking stolen and unaccounted for Iraqi antiquities: http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/IRAQ/iraq.html David Ballingrud can be reached at 727-893-8245 or by e-mail at ballingrud at sptimes.com http://www.sptimes.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Feb 6 11:00:17 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 11:00:17 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] THE ABOUTAAM BROTHERS IN THE MEDIA Message-ID: <20050206100019.RYHJ11192.amsfep13-int.chello.nl@cremers> THE ABOUTAAM BROTHERS IN THE MEDIA: http://www.michelvanrijn.nl/artnews/aboutaaminthenews.htm Also read about the Michel van Rijn - Aboutaam controversy at: http://www.michelvanrijn.nl/artnews/artnws.htm http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/2005-January/000667.html _________________________ Museum Security Network http://www.museum-security.org/ toncremers at museum-security.org Archive Cultural Property Protection http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/ Archive Museum Security Network http://te.verweg.com/pipermail/msn-list/ _________________________ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Feb 6 16:09:25 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 16:09:25 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Africa robbed of treasures Message-ID: <20050206150926.CYPG1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> Africa robbed of treasures 06/02/2005 10:12 - (SA) Dakar - The recent seizure of a huge collection of stolen west African art is a bright spot in the sad story of antiquities protection on the world's poorest continent, which has robbed Africans of chapters of their history. French customs agents searching for drugs intercepted a shipment from the desert state of Niger bound for Belgium in early January. The 845-piece collection, dating as far back as 70 million years ago, includes antiquities of incalculable value, ranging from dinosaur teeth to neolithic arrowheads and ancient pottery. While this seizure is notable for the size and breadth of the artefacts contained within the collection, such caches of treasures smuggled out of the continent and into private collections or curio shops around the world are neither rare nor exclusive to Niger. Virtually every African nation can cite stories of smugglers making off with priceless objects, with tourists, professional collectors and even government officials complicit in the robbery of national treasures. Mali's Niger Delta region and Dogon country are favourite targets of smugglers, according to Boubacar Hama Diaby, the director of the west African state's cultural mission based in the central town of Djenne. Living in a string of villages nestled below an escarpment running along the spine of Mali, the Dogon people are among the most important guardians of animist culture, whose rites and rituals are the stuff of legend. Their masks, carved granary doors and indigo cloth have been mass produced to satisfy the legions of tourists who tramp through the ancient villages to find relics of the pigmies who lived in huts or caves carved into the escarpment hundreds of years earlier. But other, more seasoned collectors, want something real - a mask that has been danced, for example, or an ancient door carved with the crocodiles, birds and spirits that are prominent in Dogon literature. Stiff fines and jail terms And while the prices they offer for such items to the desperately poor Dogon can be a lifeline for individuals, they are contributing to the wiping out of the cultural inheritance of future generations, not only of Dogon but of all Malians, said Diaby. Both Mali and Niger have taken steps to try and curb illegal smuggling of antiquities, issuing stiff fines and jail terms for anyone caught doing so. The problem, however, is that recovery of stolen goods takes time and money, more money than many of these cash-strapped governments can afford. That French authorities were able to recover the cache of artefacts and are disposed to returning them is a boon to Niger, among the world's poorest countries. http://www.news24.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Feb 6 16:11:18 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 16:11:18 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] A Tussle Over Treasures: Who rightfully owns Korean artifacts looted by Japan? Message-ID: <20050206151120.HIWZ1799.amsfep19-int.chello.nl@cremers> A Tussle Over Treasures Who rightfully owns Korean artifacts looted by Japan? By Kay Itoi and B. J. Lee Newsweek International Feb. 14 issue - Eisei Miki, the head monk of Kakurinji Temple in the western Japanese city of Kakogawa, still shivers with anger when he describes the robbery the temple suffered in 2002. Among the stolen goods: one particularly important painting of the Amida Buddha from Korea's Koryo period (918-1392), which the temple had treasured for hundreds of years. Caught last October, the two Koreans responsible for the theft insisted they were on a mission to reclaim pieces of Korean history, which had been appropriated by the Japanese. Worse, the Korean media and public bought the argument. "Have you heard of anything more ridiculous?" asks Miki. His frustration embodies yet another thorny controversy embroiling Japan and the Korean peninsula: to whom do hundreds of thousands of ancient Korean artifacts in Japan rightfully belong? Koreans accuse the Japanese of plundering the artwork, mostly during their 36-year occupation of the peninsula, and they blame their own government for not seeking the objects' return. Most Japanese consider the issue a dead one, resolved by the 1965 Japan-Korea Treaty, which led to the return of some 1,400 items. To be sure, not all the works were looted; Kakurinji Temple, for instance, received the painting-probably as a gift-long before the Japanese invasion. Nor was the settlement in the 1960s definitive, as it neglected artifacts in Japanese private collections as well as those originating in North Korea. But with cultural relations between Japan and South Korea warming, experts are hoping the dispute can finally be resolved. Japan is hardly unique in having made off with treasures from a former colony. The best European museums would be empty without looted art. But the size of the haul is astounding. Eighty percent of all Korean Buddhist paintings are believed to be in Japan. And, says Seoul art historian Kwon Cheeyun, "35,000 Korean art objects and 30,000 rare books have been confirmed to be there, too." That's only the tip of the iceberg: much more is believed to be hidden away in private collections. Historians believe Japan carried away the bulk of its Korean cultural assets during two aggressions: the 16th-century invasion of the Korean peninsula and its 20th-century occupation. Determining legal ownership is far more difficult than with the art looted by the Nazis, for instance. "It's almost impossible to trace the provenance" of centuries-old artifacts, says Toshiyuki Kono, a law professor at Kyushu University. Besides, the Japanese annexation was internationally recognized in 1910; relocating Korean artifacts within "Japanese territory" was lawful at the time. Furthermore, Japan didn't sign the 30-year-old UNESCO convention to prevent trafficking of stolen artifacts until 2003. To Korea's annoyance, Japan holds many items of particular value. More than 1,000 bronze, gold and celadon pieces owned by the late businessman Takenosuke Ogura now make up the core of the Tokyo National Museum's Korean section. Another precious item is a two-meter-tall stone tablet, originally built in northern Korea to commemorate the country's repelling of the 16th-century Japanese invasion. The work sits in Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese politicians occasionally enrage Koreans and Chinese by paying respects to the war dead enshrined there. Last month, South Korea's former prime minister, Lee Han Dong, launched a campaign in Seoul to seek its repatriation. "For both Koreas," says Joo Dong Jin, a civil activist working for the campaign, it is a matter of "national spirit and pride." Yasukuni will return the piece, says a shrine spokesman, once both North Korea and South Korea make official requests through the Japanese government. While officials on both sides drag their feet, citizens are driving the repatriation movement. Yoon Sung Jong set up Korea's Citizens' Committee for Cultural Heritage Return Movement in 2002 to run promotional exhibits, seminars and a Web site calling for the return of the artifacts. Several Japanese collectors have voluntarily donated their holdings to South Korean museums. The Tenri Central Library in Nara, western Japan, loaned a 1447 painting titled "Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land" by the 15th-century Korean master An Gyeon to Seoul exhibitions in 1986 and 1996. Considered one of the most significant Korean paintings of all time, Yoon says the work should hang in Korea. The library, however, maintains that it has never been formally asked for the return of the painting-and declines to say whether it would return the work if it were. Generational change is also helping soothe tensions. The subject of looted art remains most sensitive to older Koreans. "We are the first generation [of experts] who can be objective," says Hideo Yoshii, a 40-year-old archaeologist with Kyoto University. Young Korean scholars like Pai Hyung Il, an archeologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, give Japanese credit for first discovering beauty in items like the peninsula's celadon porcelains, which Koreans previously ignored in favor of Chinese antiques, which they considered more valuable. To Pai, demanding the repatriation of all Korean items isn't realistic. Another young academic, Tokyo arts professor Yoko Hayashi, who recently conducted the first comprehensive study of the situation proposes promoting privately held relics exhibits, joint research by the two countries and long-term loans of Japan-owned Korean treasures to Korea. Still, the issue will not be quickly resolved. And the Kakurinji Temple's painting is still missing-though the Korean thieves were sentenced to jail after a Korean judge failed to buy their patriotic defense. Still, Miki, the head monk, holds no grudges against Koreans. His temple was, after all, founded by a Korean monk in the sixth century and occasionally sponsors events promoting Korean arts. "Our temple is like the oldest symbol of Japan-Korea friendship," he says. That friendship is, once again, being sorely tested. http://msnbc.msn.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Mon Feb 7 06:43:38 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 06:43:38 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Contra_tr=E1fico_de_arte?= Message-ID: <20050207054339.CWF1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> Contra tr?fico de arte El certificado, elaborado por la Organizaci?n de Naciones Unidas para la Educaci?n, la Ciencia y la Cultura (UNESCO) en colaboraci?n con la Organizaci?n Mundial de Aduanas, ser? presentado en la 13a. reuni?n bianual del comit?, que se re?ne en Par?s (Francia) desde hoy lunes al jueves 10 de este mes. Se trata de un modelo "a la vez riguroso y pr?ctico" destinado a facilitar la labor de los agentes de aduanas en todo el mundo, con el objetivo de reforzar la lucha contra el tr?fico ilegal de los bienes culturales. El grupo de 22 expertos tambi?n dar? a conocer una nueva base de datos de las legislaciones de los 190 Estados miembros de la UNESCO sobre el patrimonio cultural, que ser? puesta en internet (www.unesco.org/culture/natlaws) para facilitar su conocimiento. UN CASO. Un museo londinense que re?ne algunas de las obras m?s importantes del impresionismo y posimpresionismo europeo trata de recuperar un grabado japon?s que utiliz? el pintor Vincent van Gogh como fondo en uno de sus autorretratos m?s conocidos y que desapareci? del lugar hace veintitr?s a?os. Se trata del grabado "Geishas en un paisaje", que aparece en el autorretrato del artista con la oreja vendada, que se cort? tras una violenta disputa con su colega Paul Gauguin y que es una de las joyas del museo. El grabado en cuesti?n fue robado del Courtault Institute of Art en 1981 junto a dos acuarelas, una de Edward Dayes y otra de Samuel Palmer, pero el centro no hab?a comunicado hasta ahora su desaparici?n. Seg?n informa ese centro en su ?ltimo bolet?n, el grabado puede identificarse f?cilmente, pues lleva las marcas de los alfileres con los que Van Gogh lo fij? en la pared de su estudio de Arles (en el sur de Francia). El instituto londinense ha podido recuperar mientras tanto las acuarelas, una de las cuales apareci? en una subasta de Sotheby`s, y que se cree que las rob? un guardi?n del museo, desde entonces fallecido. "Geishas en un paisaje" era una de las im?genes favoritas del pintor holand?s, que pose?a alrededor de un centenar de grabados japoneses, con los que decoraba su estudio. En 1888, Van Gogh expres? en una carta su admiraci?n por "la enorme claridad" del arte gr?fico japon?s. Dieciocho meses despu?s de su pelea con Gauguin, Van Gogh, que sufr?a una fuerte depresi?n, se suicid? de un disparo en el pecho. (Fuente: EFE.) http://www.ultimahora.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Mon Feb 7 07:01:05 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 07:01:05 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Paraguay=3A_UN_ROBO_QUE_LLEVA_A=D1OS?= Message-ID: <20050207060106.ZGRE12698.amsfep15-int.chello.nl@cremers> UN ROBO QUE LLEVA A?OS C?sar Gonz?lez P?ez cesarpaez at uhora.com.py Lunes, 7 de Febrero | 2005 | Hace exactamente dos a?os y medio, unos se?ores se tomaron la molestia de hacer un hueco, atravesar una calle, para robar unos cuadros, los m?s importantes del Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Tal descuido de dejar sin ninguna protecci?n una obra de arte qued? sin sanci?n alguna y luego del esc?ndalo todo se aquiet?, todos siguieron en sus puestos y aqu? no ha pasado nada. "El robo del siglo" calific? a esta noticia la cadena internacional BBC. Hagamos un r?pido inventario de lo que se llevaron: cinco valiosos cuadros, entre ellos un Tintoretto y un Murillo. ?Aqu? no ha pasado nada? Fue un despojo descomunal. La corresponsal de la BBC, Andrea Macha?n, recogi? opiniones de la directora del museo en aquellos momentos, quien dijo a la prensa internacional, entre otras cosas: "Ahora por fin los paraguayos se enterar?n de que tienen un museo nacional y se interesar?n por su patrimonio. Eran obras de valor incalculable". As? se expresaba la encargada de velar por la seguridad y el buen funcionamiento del local. Coment? adem?s que antes ?del robo? se dedicaba a dar cursos de arte a los sacerdotes para supieran el valor hist?rico de sus iglesias: "Ahora voy a ofrecerlos a la Polic?a para que cuenten con un mayor conocimiento ante este tipo de delitos". Los autores del robo del siglo cavaron un t?nel de 25 metros de largo, revestido con un encofrado de madera para evitar derrumbamientos. No sabemos cu?nto tiempo les demand? hacer esta obra, tampoco sabemos si los funcionarios del museo sent?an que se les mov?a el piso mientras los "operarios" se dedicaba a cavar. Parece que no, porque incluso despu?s del il?cito no se le movi? el piso a ninguno. Pero usted se preguntar?: qu? es una obra de arte. ?Esos cuadros que nadie entiende? El arte es la expresi?n del alma, de los sentimientos, y se valora por ese motivo, por la intensidad puesta en su creaci?n. Despu?s viene el tiempo y las obras se cotizan por lo que significaron en una ?poca, por quien las pint?. Esas obras de arte pasan a significar un patrimonio del pa?s que las conserva y cobran mayor valor cuando provienen de ?pocas inmemoriales. Ninguna de las obras sustra?das contaba con un certificado de autenticidad ni hab?a sido tasada, dice la BBC. Pero no hay que por bien no venga: por fin saben los paraguayos que tienen un museo nacional. A prop?sito del tema, me pregunto: ?se sigue denunciado internacionalmente el robo? Por lo menos ahora, gracias a los esfuerzos de la UNESCO, va a ser un poco m?s dif?cil traficar con obras de arte. http://www.ultimahora.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Mon Feb 7 16:27:10 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 16:27:10 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Bauernmaler Peter Hirt von Kunstdieben beraubt Message-ID: <20050207152712.DBOJ22540.amsfep16-int.chello.nl@cremers> Bauernmaler Peter Hirt von Kunstdieben beraubt Der Kunst- und Bauernmaler Peter Hirt vor der von den Dieben aufgebrochenen Holzt?r zu seinem Atelier. (Foto: http://www.azonline.ch/pages/index.cfm?dom=2&id=100646508&rub=100004716&arub =100004856&nrub=0&sda=1) Dem Kunst- und Bauernmaler Peter Hirt wurden aus seinem Atelier 16 Bilder gestohlen. Die Diebe waren offenbar ortskundig und hatten es auf handgemalte Kopien von Anker, Monet und Rembrandt abgesehen. ?Als ich nach dem Kaffee am Samstagmorgen die Zeitung holen wollte bemerkte ich, dass die T?r zum Atelier offen steht?, erkl?rt Peter Hirt. Die Holzt?re, unmittelbar neben der T?r zum Wohnhaus gelegen, war aufgebrochen. ?Sie wurde mit einem Flachwerkzeug ge?ffnet?, erkl?rt Rudolf Woodtli von der Kantonspolizei Aargau. Als Tatwerkzeug wird ein Stemmeisen oder ein grosser Schraubenzieher vermutet. In der Nacht von Freitag auf Samstag verschwanden aus dem Atelier von Peter Hirt 13 Kopien von Anker-Bildern, zwei Monet und ein Rembrandt. Anhand der Vorlagen konnte Hirt der Polizei angeben, welche Bilder ihm abhanden gekommen sind. Bilder im Wert von mehreren tausend Franken. ?Da arbeitet man so viele Stunden und auf einmal ist alles weg?, so der K?nstler konsterniert. ?Heute ist nichts mehr sicher?. Perfekte Kopien Die gestohlenen Werke sind zwar keine Originale, sie zeichnen sich aber durch eine hohe Detailtreue aus. ?Jedes H?rchen der Frisur, jeder Grashalm, jedes Blatt eines Baumes oder jede Schneeflocke muss mit dem Original ?bereinstimmen. Meine Bilder m?ssen eine perfekte Kopie des Originals sein?, so das ehrgeizige Ziel des Perfektionisten. Die Qualit?t der Kopien, die von den Originalen nur sehr schwer zu unterscheiden sind, ist wohl auch den Dieben ins Auge gestochen. Hirt wurde nicht zum ersten Mal bestohlen. W?hrend einer Ausstellung 2003 in Jegenstorf entwendeten dreiste Diebe drei Anker-Kopien. ?Diese Bilder haben ich noch einmal gemalt. Lustig ist, dass diese drei Kopien nicht mitgenommen wurden?. Peter Hirt vermutet denn auch, dass ein Zusammenhang?mit dem Diebstahl in Jegenstorf und in Gr?nichen besteht. Der K?nstler hegt einen Verdacht. ?Am Freitag, 28. Januar, l?uteten zwei M?nner um sieben Uhr abends an meiner T?r und interessierten sich vor allem f?r meine Anker-Kopien. Der eine sprach nur franz?sisch, der andere gebrochen Deutsch?, so Hirt. Sie h?tten Bilder von mir in Neuenburg gesehen. ?Da habe ich gemerkt, dass etwas faul sein muss, denn ich habe nie Bilder nach Neuenburg oder Biel verkauft?. Trotzdem f?hrte Hirt die beiden M?nner, die Interesse an 10 bis 12 Anker-Bildern zeigten, durch sein Atelier. ?Auch die Kopien von Monet und Rembrandt schienen sie zu interessieren. ?Sie sagten, sie w?rden sich wieder bei mir melden und fragten beil?ufig, ob ich in die Skiferien gehe?. Da wurde Hirt erst recht misstrauisch und hellh?rig. Das Signalement pr?gte er sich ein. ?Nachdem sie gegangen waren, ging ich in mein B?ro und machte mir Notizen zu den beiden Personen: zirka 55 Jahre, zirka 180 cm gross, ovales Gesicht, Schnauz, grau meliertes Haar, beiges Hemd, braune Kleidung, schwarze Schuhe; zweite Person: 45 bis 50 Jahre, zirka 165 cm gross, rundliches Gesicht, Brille, schwarzes Haar, braun/rotes Hemd, schwarzer Kittel, braune Schuhe?. Peter Hirt meldete das merkw?rdige Verhalten und das Signalement der M?nner der Polizei. ?Leider konnte ich das Nummernschild nicht ablesen. Ich habe nur gesehen, dass sie mit einem schwarzen Kombi wegfuhren?, bedauert Hirt. Dass sie ihr Auto nicht auf dem Parkplatz vor seinem Atelier parkierten, machte ihn zus?tzlich stutzig.Er vermutet, dass sie bei ihrem Besuch vor Ort die Situation auskundschafteten. Weder er noch die Polizei konnten aber aktiv werden. Interessentin f?r Monet-Bild Am vergangenen Donnerstag hatte Peter Hirt erneut Besuch, der ihm verd?chtig vorkam. Eine Frau interessierte sich f?r die Kopie eines Monet-Bildes, das nun ebenfalls gestohlen wurde. ?Auch diese Frau hat nicht vor dem Atelier parkiert?, so Hirt. ?Ich w?rde sicher erschrecken, wenn diese Leute nach dem Einbruch noch einmal k?men und tats?chlich Bilder kaufen w?rden?. ?Trotz den verd?chtigen Vorkommnissen der vergangenen Tage habe ich nicht gedacht, dass mir so etwas passiert. Ich glaubte, dass ich mir da etwas einbilde und unn?tig Sorgen mache?, so Hirt. ?Ich vermute, dass die drei gestohlenen Anker-Kopien von Jegenstorf guten Absatz gefunden haben?. Der K?nstler nimmt an, dass die Einbrecher mit den Bildern f?r Nachschub auf dem Kunstmarkt sorgen wollen. ?Sicher werden die gestohlenen Bilder im Kunsthandel, vermutlich sogar im Ausland, verkauft. Niemand stiehlt 13 Anker-Bilder f?r den Privatgebrauch. Peter Hirt spielt mit dem Gedanken, Galerien in Neuenburg nach seinen Bildern abzusuchen. Ob er dies in n?chster Zeit tun wird, ist sich Hirt selbst noch nicht im klaren. Angaben zum Einbruch oder Hinweise zum Verbleib der Bilder sind an die Kantonspolizei in Aarau, 062 836 55 55, zu richten. (mz) http://www.azonline.ch/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Feb 8 12:37:16 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 12:37:16 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] FW: reply to Dorothy King (Parthenon marbles debate) Message-ID: <20050208113718.NURH27281.amsfep18-int.chello.nl@cremers> -----Original Message----- From: Constantine Sandis [mailto:c.sandis at bath.ac.uk] Sent: 08 February 2005 01:06 To: a.cremers3 at chello.nl Subject: reply to Dorothy King In her postings regarding this issue Dorothy King repeatedly contrasts persons with students (are students not people?) and misinformed the list on the number of speakers invited to, and participating in, the debate. The play -which incidentally was written by a student - highlighted both good and bad arguments made by parties on each side of the debate, and made fun of Greeks who wished for the marbles to be returned for nationalistic reasons. Indeed, it concluded that the best solution was for the British to retain ownership of the Elgin marbes. King, by contrast writes as if the whole thing was a matter of Greeks vs. English. On this point, is also worth noting that no Greeks participated in the debate. From forwardellie at hotmail.com Tue Feb 8 22:41:37 2005 From: forwardellie at hotmail.com (FwdEB) Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 22:41:37 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] ONU (Naciones Unidas) insta a salvar arte rupestre africano Message-ID: ONU insta a salvar arte rupestre africano El Secretario General de la ONU, Kofi Annan, inst? hoy a los l?deres africanos a desempe?ar un papel m?s activo en la preservaci?n de la herencia cultural de la humanidad que representa el arte rupestre de ese continente, amenazado por la negligencia y por los ladrones y traficantes de tesoros arqueol?gicos. En un mensaje videograbado al Fideicomiso para el Arte Rupestre Africano, Annan destac? que este arte muestra el surgimiento de la imaginaci?n humana. "Es un tesoro de valor incalculable e irremplazable", sostuvo. Agreg? que no obstante este valor, el arte rupestre africano se encuentra gravemente amenazado y su futuro es incierto. "Quiz? la mayor amenaza sea la negligencia", puntualiz?. El Secretario General explic? que la falta de recursos combinada con la carencia de inter?s por parte de las autoridades ha dejado gran parte de estos sitios desprotegidos del vandalismo. "Debemos salvar este patrimonio cultural antes de que sea demasiado tarde", recalc?. Adem?s de los gobiernos, Annan urgi? a los l?deres del sector privado y las fundaciones sin fines de lucro, as? como a los particulares, a contribuir con recursos y experiencia en el proyecto de salvaguardar este arte primitivo. "En las Naciones Unidas tambi?n continuaremos hacienda nuestra parte", concluy? el Secretario General. http://www.noticias.info/asp/PrintingVersionNot.asp?NOT=47609 From forwardellie at hotmail.com Wed Feb 9 07:35:38 2005 From: forwardellie at hotmail.com (FwdEB) Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 07:35:38 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Espa=F1a=3A_La_Junta_trabaja_en_un_p?= =?iso-8859-1?q?lan_de_seguridad_para_los_museos_de_su_gesti=F3n?= Message-ID: La Junta trabaja en un plan de seguridad para los museos de su gesti?n La ejecuci?n de la medida, enmarcada en el Plan de Calidad de los Museos, se coordinar? con el Ministerio de Cultura, titular de los inmuebles sevilla. T?cnicos de la direcci?n general de Museos de la Junta de Andaluc?a trabajan en la redacci?n de un plan de seguridad que afectar? a los museos que gestiona la Consejer?a de Cultura. As? lo ha anunciado el responsable de la pol?tica muse?stica de la Junta, Pablo Su?rez, quien resalta que el proyecto no concierne s?lo a las infraestructuras, sino tambi?n a la dotaci?n de personal. "Dentro del Plan de Calidad de los Museos, es ?sta una medida que consideramos prioritaria, dada la enorme importancia del patrimonio que custodian estos espacios", valora Su?rez, quien detalla que se est? realizando un chequeo de cada museo al objeto de tener "la radiograf?a completa". Asimismo, explica que este plan no corre s?lo por cuenta de la Junta, sino que se est? coordinando con el Ministerio de Cultura, que es el titular de los referidos museos. "No se olvide que el Estado tiene en marcha o en previsi?n obras de remodelaci?n importantes en algunos de estos edificios, y de lo que se trata es de aprovechar esa circunstancia para modernizarlos, tambi?n en lo referente a la seguridad", afirma Su?rez, quien confirma que la consejera presentar? el documento una vez est? concluido "y se hayan obtenido los vistos buenos de los profesionales y sindicatos, am?n del cumplimiento de lo estipulado en las leyes sobre el asunto". Preguntado sobre si los museos que gestiona la Junta son hoy en d?a vulnerables en esta materia, el director general estima que no quiere trasladar "que lo sean en absoluto, porque para ello trabajamos d?a a d?a y nunca ha habido ning?n problema, al menos de la importancia de lo que pas? en Oslo. De todas formas, es cierto que nunca se termina de mejorar", reconoce. compras con cargo a Madrid. Un gesto m?s, dice, de la sinton?a existente entre el Gobierno de Madrid y el andaluz es la posibilidad de contar con los recursos del Ministerio de Cultura a la hora de adquirir obras de arte. Seg?n el responsable de los museos, "el Ministerio ha sido receptivo para con nuestra solicitud de ejercer ellos el derecho de tanteo sobre aquellas obras que nos puedan interesar y que las depositen posteriormente en nuestros museos". "Esta posibilidad nunca se ha utilizado en los ?ltimos a?os, y es cierto que hay ocasiones en que la Consejer?a de Cultura, con sus recursos, no puede hacer frente a las cantidades que alcanzan las piezas en las subastas. En estos casos, el Ministerio estar?a ah? para adquirirlas", avanza. Con respecto a la supresi?n de la gratuidad del acceso a los museos de la Junta, un asunto del que la anterior consejera, Carmen Calvo, se mostraba partidaria, al igual que la actual, Rosa Torres, Su?rez quiso matizar que, por el momento, "?sta es una discusi?n que no est? sobre mi mesa por una sencilla raz?n: todo precio p?blico se debe a un servicio de calidad. Pues bien, cuando todos nuestros museos sean museos del siglo XXI, entonces podremos plantear el pago por entrar. Mientras tanto, seguiremos trabajando hasta cumplir ese objetivo de calidad". http://www.diariodesevilla.com/diariodesevilla/articulo.asp?idart=880916&idcat=1182 From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Feb 9 22:16:21 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 22:16:21 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Judge throws out lawsuit against Elizabeth Taylor over Van Gogh Message-ID: <20050209211626.EZKK12698.amsfep15-int.chello.nl@cremers> Judge throws out lawsuit against Elizabeth Taylor over Van Gogh News LOS ANGELES (AFP) Tuesday February 08, 2005 A US federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the decendants of a Holocaust victim who claim ownership of a painting by Vincent Van Gogh which actress Elizabeth Taylor bought 40 years ago. The lawsuit alleges that the Nazi regime seized the 1889 painting "View of the Asylum and Chapel at Saint-Remy" after its rightful owner Margarete Mauthner fled from Germany to South Africa in 1939. In a February 2 ruling made public on Monday, US Dictrict Court Judge Gary Klausner said the state law that applies in the case allows individuals to sue for up to three years after their property is taken. The South African and Canadian descendants of Mauthner maintain in their lawsuit that Taylor must have known when she purchased the painting at an auction in 1963 for 257,600 dollars that it had been stolen by government officials of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. The suit was filed in Los Angeles after the actress in May attempted to get a local court to declare her the rightful owner of the painting. Twice Oscar winner Taylor, 72, acquired the painting at a Sotheby's auction in London at the height of her Hollywood carreer. Since then, the Van Gogh has been handing in her Los Angeles mansion. Mauthner's relatives said the painting was confiscated by the Nazis at the start of World War II and that Taylor and her representatives were aware of its origins. Taylor maintains the Sotheby's catalog of the 1963 auction stated that the painting at one time had belonged to Mauthner and that after it was shown in two prestigious art galleries it was sold to Aldred Wolf, another Jew who fled Nazi Germany for Buenos Aires. The actress said the Van Gogh belonged to Wolf when she purchased it at the auction. http://us.news.designerz.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Feb 9 22:17:41 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 22:17:41 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] FW: Africa robbed of treasures Message-ID: <20050209211744.LSNW27281.amsfep18-int.chello.nl@cremers> Africa robbed of treasures 06/02/2005 10:12 - (SA) Dakar - The recent seizure of a huge collection of stolen west African art is a bright spot in the sad story of antiquities protection on the world's poorest continent, which has robbed Africans of chapters of their history. French customs agents searching for drugs intercepted a shipment from the desert state of Niger bound for Belgium in early January. The 845-piece collection, dating as far back as 70 million years ago, includes antiquities of incalculable value, ranging from dinosaur teeth to neolithic arrowheads and ancient pottery. While this seizure is notable for the size and breadth of the artefacts contained within the collection, such caches of treasures smuggled out of the continent and into private collections or curio shops around the world are neither rare nor exclusive to Niger. Virtually every African nation can cite stories of smugglers making off with priceless objects, with tourists, professional collectors and even government officials complicit in the robbery of national treasures. Mali's Niger Delta region and Dogon country are favourite targets of smugglers, according to Boubacar Hama Diaby, the director of the west African state's cultural mission based in the central town of Djenne. Living in a string of villages nestled below an escarpment running along the spine of Mali, the Dogon people are among the most important guardians of animist culture, whose rites and rituals are the stuff of legend. Their masks, carved granary doors and indigo cloth have been mass produced to satisfy the legions of tourists who tramp through the ancient villages to find relics of the pigmies who lived in huts or caves carved into the escarpment hundreds of years earlier. But other, more seasoned collectors, want something real - a mask that has been danced, for example, or an ancient door carved with the crocodiles, birds and spirits that are prominent in Dogon literature. Stiff fines and jail terms And while the prices they offer for such items to the desperately poor Dogon can be a lifeline for individuals, they are contributing to the wiping out of the cultural inheritance of future generations, not only of Dogon but of all Malians, said Diaby. Both Mali and Niger have taken steps to try and curb illegal smuggling of antiquities, issuing stiff fines and jail terms for anyone caught doing so. The problem, however, is that recovery of stolen goods takes time and money, more money than many of these cash-strapped governments can afford. That French authorities were able to recover the cache of artefacts and are disposed to returning them is a boon to Niger, among the world's poorest countries. http://www.news24.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Thu Feb 10 05:21:44 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 05:21:44 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] Niger: Archaeological Treasures May Soon Become a Thing of the Past Message-ID: <20050210042147.XJKZ1537.amsfep14-int.chello.nl@cremers> Archaeological Treasures May Soon Become a Thing of the Past Ousseini Issa NIAMEY, Feb 9 (IPS) - There's no doubting that authorities in Niger have a host of problems to grapple with. United Nations estimates put the number of people living beneath the poverty line in this country in the region of 60 percent - while life expectancy stands at about 46 years. But, as pressing as the need to improve living standards is, some fear it is preventing government from tackling another important matter: the looting of archaeological treasures. "The country's authorities are confronted daily with many other development problems such as basic education and public health which prevent them from getting too involved with the protection of art objects," says a sociologist in Niger who spoke on condition of anonymity. The threat which archaeological theft poses to Niger's heritage was thrown into sharp relief last month, when customs officials at Roissy Airport in Paris intercepted the illegal shipment of about 850 artifacts from Niger. French officials have promised to return the items, which include rare dinosaur bone specimens, as soon as they have been assessed. An additional 5,620 archaeological artifacts are also awaiting their return to Niger from France. These objects - prehistoric arrowheads and carved stone pieces, amongst others - were seized from a Malian trafficker at a Paris airport in March 2004. Officials in Niger say efforts are also underway to ensure a local trial for the accused. "The case is being investigated in France and the objects will certainly be returned to Niger. At the national level here, Niger's government filed a complaint with the criminal investigation unit to extradite the trafficker to Niger to be prosecuted," says Ali Bida, the official in charge of museums and the preservation of Niger's heritage. A law passed in June 1997 imposed fines of up to 16,000 dollars, and prison terms from one month to two years, for those who engage in theft of artifacts and related offences. However, authorities lack the means to enforce these penalties. "This inability is a result of the technical services' lack of material and human resources in relation to how vast this country is. Niger covers an expanse of 1,267,000 square kilometres," says Bida. Boube Adamou, an archaeologist with the Niamey-based Institute of Social Science Research, agrees. "Every known archaeological site is at risk of being looted. In Boura, for example, out of the hundreds of sites I was able to inspect, only one is properly protected," he told IPS. The village of Boura, located about 200 kilometres west of the capital, is famous for its important archaeological sites. Two well-known terracotta statues called 'The Horsemen of Boura' were discovered in 1985 at one of these sites, which is thought to have been inhabited between 1300 and 200 B.C. Experts say the statues are archaeologically important because they have, amongst other things, thrown new light on the way in which the African continent is thought to have become populated. The monetary value of the larger of the two figures is put at about 120,000 dollars. Even when police do manage to catch art thieves, the results of these investigations may be less than satisfactory. Take the case in which a haul of artifacts was intercepted about seven years ago, at the airport in Niamey. "Twenty-five statuettes with a value of more than 4.5 million CFA francs (about 9,000 dollars) were seized from an individual in 1998 at Niamey airport," Mamdou Kelessi, the curator at the National Museum of Niamey, told IPS. "Nevertheless, these statuettes mysteriously and unfortunately disappeared. As for the individual, he was let go after only a few months in prison," Kelessi added. "The failure to respect the law penalizes all sectors in Niger. That has created a culture of impunity in the country." For Adamou, poverty and ignorance pose the greatest threats to safeguarding Niger's archaeological heritage. "It is the rural people living near the sites who steal artefacts and sell them. Their clients are art dealers, or sometimes tourists who are passing through," he says. Lawan Amadou Arafat, a dealer who operates from a Niamey hotel, confirms Amadou's claims - apparently with little fear that his statements could land him in hot water with authorities. "We have suppliers (of artefacts) in different parts of the country," he notes. "When they find these objects, they bring them to Niamey to offer them to us. Often, we give them orders for specific items." Adamou says profits from the sale of artefacts have increased dramatically in recent years. While looters were able to earn between five cents and 1.5 dollars for their discoveries during the 1990s, prices now vary between 70 and 400 dollars. Elsewhere in the region, artefacts can command more than 1,000 dollars. These increases have been matched by growing sophistication on the part of thieves. "To begin with, rural communities had no knowledge of which objects were of greater importance. Over time, however, they have gradually become aware that people who buy the artefacts make a profit from those which are of a certain type - or are older," says Adamou. In the face of threats to Niger's heritage, archaeologists are trying to educate communities about the importance of safeguarding artefacts to educate children about their country's history - and to maintain the tourist trade. Efforts are also being made to raise awareness amongst law enforcement officials. "We have organised several sessions to educate the defence and security forces.about the traffic in cultural objects," says Bida. "Several sessions were held between 1996 and 2003 on the importance of archaeological finds and how to identify them." http://www.ipsnews.net/ From asuslovich at yahoo.com Thu Feb 10 13:28:41 2005 From: asuslovich at yahoo.com (Avrom Suslovich) Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 04:28:41 -0800 (PST) Subject: [CPProt.net] Nazi-Looted Czech Art Message-ID: <20050210122841.25944.qmail@web60703.mail.yahoo.com> Dear all, I am preparing a paper regarding the restitution of cultural property looted by the Nazis in the Czech Republic. I would greatly appreciate any information that you could provide. Specifically, I am looking for answers to the following questions: Does the current law (212/2000) apply to regional or municipal museums? How many of these museums are there and who actually owns them? What is the likelihood of these museums being in possession of looted works? Have any of these museums begun to conduct provenance research into their own collections? Have the national institutions continued to research their collections, or has this come to a halt? How many claims have been brought? How many claims have been honored by the institutions? How many have gone to court? What have the results been? Please reply to asuslovich at yahoo.com Thank you for your assistance, Avrom Suslovich --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Search presents - Jib Jab's 'Second Term' -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050210/57725603/attachment.htm From museum-security at museum-security.org Thu Feb 10 19:57:18 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet) Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 19:57:18 +0100 Subject: [CPProt.net] British Plunder Returned to Ethiopia Message-ID: <20050210185722.GZZO1799.amsfep19-int.chello.nl@cremers> British Plunder Returned to Ethiopia Two sacred paintings have been returned to Ethiopia 137 years after they were ripped out of a holy book by invading British troops. The paintings were among Ethiopian treasures looted by British troops and later locked up in British museums, royal palaces and private collections. The paintings were handed to the Ethiopian embassy in London this week by a British lawyer who inherited them from his great uncle, an embassy official said The lawyer?s great uncle was an officer in the British force that captured Maqdala, the mountain capital of Emperor Tewodros. The monarch committed suicide to avoid falling into the hands of British troops in 1868. British troops and others in their company plundered illuminated religious manuscripts, gold crosses, precious crowns and royal cloth. Experts said the two full-page works that were handed back to Ethiopia were torn out of a book of the Miracles of Jesus or Mary ? both venerated volumes in the literature of the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The lawyer, who has asked to remain anonymous, told of