[MSN] Culture and Tourism Ministry inspectors discover unregistered artifacts

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Culture and Tourism Ministry inspectors discover unregistered artifacts
Friday, December 29, 2006

Inspectors find 146 artifacts as well as some casts in a laboratory at the İzmir Archeology Museum, file complaints against two archeologists

İZMİR - Anatolia news agency

  Culture and Tourism Ministry inspectors have discovered 146 unregistered artifacts and some molds used to duplicate valuable historical pieces at a laboratory in İzmir's Archeology Museum, filing charges against two archeologists.

  During an inventory inspectors discovered 146 artifacts of unknown origin in the museum's laboratory. Further investigation revealed that the artifacts were not registered and not known to museum management.

  The archeologists, when questioned, said the artifacts belonged to the İzmir Chamber of Commerce (İZTO), which was denied by the organization.

  In a previous case at the Uşak Archeology Museum earlier this year, a priceless brooch was stolen and replaced with a copy. The Uşak Prosecutor's Office has charged 10 people, including the local museum director, with embezzlement and artifact smuggling.

  The issue is crucial to a country that is home to about 3,000 ancient cities from 42 civilizations, where the booming tourism industry relies on its rich historical heritage to attract millions of foreigners each year.  

  The embarrassment over the theft in Uşak was compounded by the fact that the famed 2,500-year-old collection, known in Turkey as the Karun Treasure, was repatriated only in 1993 after a lengthy legal battle with New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art that reportedly cost Turkey $40 million.

  Authorities have already discovered that 545 coins dating from the Persian Empire are missing from another museum in southeastern Turkey. The theft raised concerns that it may now become even harder for Turkey to fight for the return of stolen pieces from Western museums, many of which already argue that they are better equipped to protect the artifacts. 

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/