Podcast Summary
The Growing Pressure on Museums to Return Cultural Artifacts: Museums are facing pressure to return cultural artifacts taken through war, colonialism, and theft. Restitution requires a complex conversation involving various professionals. The Antiquities Trafficking Unit in Manhattan is fighting trafficking of artifacts.
Museums are facing a growing pressure to return cultural artifacts that were taken through war, colonialism, and theft, to their rightful places of origin. This movement is gaining momentum worldwide as museums and artists are rethinking the ethics, politics, and economics of keeping these artifacts. While some museums have responded positively by re-evaluating their acquisitions and making restitution of long-held treasures, others remain resistant, citing reasons such as the preservation and safety of these works of art. Nevertheless, the issue is complex, and conversations around restitution require the involvement of curators, directors of museums, legal scholars, prosecutors, historians, and economists. The Antiquities Trafficking Unit in Manhattan is the only unit in the world fighting against trafficking of these artifacts.
The Importance of Due Diligence in the Antiquities Market: Ensuring the authenticity and legality of antiquities through rigorous research and qualified expert oversight is essential in combatting looting and trafficking. The purchase of a gold coffin by the Metropolitan Museum of Art highlights the need for improved due diligence practices.
The infamous gold coffin purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2017 for $3.9 million and featured in a viral photo with Kim Kardashian has raised questions about the due diligence process for purchasing antiquities. While the museum believed they had a legitimate purchase based on an export license from 1971, it was later discovered that the name of the country on the license was incorrect, highlighting the need for better scrutiny of documentation. The case underscores the importance of investigating the origins of antiquities and raises concerns about the prevalence of looting and trafficking of these artifacts. It also emphasizes the need for qualified experts, like former marine and classics expert Bogdanos, to lead efforts to combat the illicit trade in stolen antiquities.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's illegal possession of a stolen coffin: Authenticity does not equal legality in the antiquities trafficking industry, leading to illegal possession of historic treasures by museums and collectors. Adequate due diligence is necessary.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased a gilded coffin for $4 million under the impression that it had been legally acquired. However, it was later found out that the coffin was dug up recently by thieves during the Arab Spring in Egypt and had a fake export license and provenance. The looter, who had not been paid, contacted a smuggler and Bogdanos, an investigator who interviewed the looter, revealing the truth. People in the antiquities trafficking industry rarely ask if an item is legal but if it's real, and looted items signify authenticity. The Metropolitan Museum of Art was informed of their illegal possession of another country's historic treasure.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Acquisition of a Looted Artifact Reveals Flaws in Museum Vetting Processes.: Museums must conduct thorough investigations into the origins and ownership history of artefacts to prevent future acquisitions of looted items. Repatriation of looted items may also be necessary.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was fooled into acquiring a looted artifact due to lack of thorough research. The golden coffin, a centerpiece of their exhibit, was claimed to have a certain history which turned out to be false. The museum trusted the names in the chain of ownership without truly investigating the accuracy of the information. This highlights the inadequacy of the vetting process of museums and raises questions on the source of their impressive collections. Many of the world’s great museums house artifacts obtained during colonial times and may have been looted or seized. There have been calls for the repatriation of these artifacts, but museums have been hesitant to return them.
Reconsidering the Ownership of Displayed Objects through Provenance Research: Museums are taking a closer look at the history of ownership of displayed objects to ensure legitimacy, while the illegal antiquities market is not as big as people think. The value of art in the market is mostly socially created.
Museums are beginning to reconsider ownership of displayed objects by researching their provenance history. The provenance history guides museum ownership legitimacy, although it isn't always complete. Jim Marrone, an economist, studies art market values and antiquities. The antiquities market is relatively small in comparison to the overall art market. Contrary to popular belief, the illegal antiquities market is in the tens of millions, not billions of dollars annually. The value of art in the market is mainly socially created, making it unique from other markets.
The Importance of Due Diligence in Regulating the Antiquities Market: Instead of relying on myths about terrorism funding, effective regulation requires careful research into the history of ownership to prevent theft and looting.
Regulating the illegal antiquities market should not be based on unsubstantiated claims of terrorist organizations making large amounts of money from it. Instead, regulation should focus on due diligence and verifying the provenance history of the works of art being sold. Myths and conventional wisdom need to be moderated. An economist argues that basing regulation on unsubstantiated claims of terrorism funding will not lead to effective regulation. The curator for provenance at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston explains that her job is to research the history of ownership of works of art to ensure no broken chains of ownership exist that could indicate theft or looting.
The Importance of Provenance in Art and Antiquities: Knowing the history of ownership is crucial in determining the legality and authenticity of art and antiquities. Lack of attention to provenance has led to major museums acquiring looted artifacts. Improper removal of artifacts perpetuates a loss of scientific and cultural knowledge.
Provenance, or the history of ownership, is crucial in determining the authenticity and legality of art and antiquities. Many museums and collectors did not question provenance in the past, leading to the acquisition of looted and stolen artifacts. Despite various forms of fraud and wartime looting, not all major museums employ dedicated provenance investigators, leading to potential disasters like the Metropolitan Museum of Art's purchase of the looted Coffin of Nedjemankh. Looting and theft of antiquities continue to be a problem globally, with popular countries for antiquities demand like Cambodia and India being affected. The loss of scientific and cultural knowledge due to improper removal of artifacts is a significant problem perpetuated by the trade of stolen and looted antiquities.
The Complex Issue of Art and Antiquities Ownership: Countries of origin should have the final decision on ownership of stolen art and restitution agreements can be made for display. Restitution is not about profit, but about addressing historical harm caused by power imbalances. WWII looted works add another layer of complexity.
The ownership of art and antiquities is a complex issue, particularly when considering works that were stolen or taken from their country of origin. The argument that high prices incentivize protection and preservation is often used to defend museums. However, ownership should ultimately be the decision of the country of origin, and restitution agreements can be made to allow objects to stay where they are displayed. While profit-sharing agreements have not been pursued, the focus of restitution is not about profit but righting the symbolic and historical harm done by colonialism and power inequalities. The issue of ownership becomes even more complicated with works looted during World War II.
Solving the Complicated Issue of Stolen Art and Provenance: Identifying and returning stolen art is difficult due to issues with provenance. Ownership can be clouded by purchases and family inheritances. It is important to consider the cultural sensitivity and complex histories affected by theft.
Provenance is a major issue in the antiquities and art world, making the identification of stolen works and their return a complicated and time-consuming process. While records may be more readily available for Nazi-looted art, the issue of ownership can still be clouded by purchases from dealers and family inheritances. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has faced allegations of holding looted and trafficked artifacts, raising questions about the ethics of displaying such objects. The issue of stolen art is not just a matter of legality, but also of cultural sensitivity and acknowledging the complex histories of those affected by theft and looting.
Patrimony Laws and Cultural Theft: Navigating International Conventions and Legal Compliance.: When dealing with cultural artifacts, it is important to prioritize legal compliance and adhere strictly to patrimony laws. Thoroughly researching the origin and provenance of any artifact is crucial to ensure compliance with strict laws regarding stolen property.
Countries have laws of patrimony that dictate the legality of cultural artifacts, and it is important to abide by these laws when dealing with them. International laws and conventions, such as the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property, also play a role in preserving cultural heritage. The key to navigating cultural property issues is to prioritize the law and adhere strictly to it, regardless of moral questions or past circumstances. The United States has strict laws regarding stolen property, making it crucial to thoroughly research the origin and provenance of any cultural artifact to ensure legal compliance.
Considerations When Purchasing Antiquities: Before buying an antique, make sure it has not been stolen from its country of origin and has not gone through the hands of well-known traffickers. It can be difficult to get antiquities through US customs, but Dubai is often used as a transit point.
When it comes to purchasing antiquities, it's important to consider both the laundering process and whether or not the item was stolen. Many European countries have a good-faith exception for laundered antiquities, but the US doesn't reward launderers. Additionally, the origin of the item should be considered as stolen goods remain stolen no matter how much time has passed. There are a handful of well-known traffickers who handle stolen antiquities, and if an item has been through their hands, it's likely stolen. It can be difficult to get antiquities through US customs, but once they make it, they are typically safe. Traffickers often use Dubai as a transit point for their product.
The Changing Transit Point for Antiquities: Changes in transit rules have made Dubai a new center for the antiquities trade, leading to increased looting and legal repercussions for buyers and sellers involved in the illegal trade.
Dubai is now a transit point for antiquities due to changes in the rules of countries like Switzerland, who were previously the main transit point. Changes were brought about due to the scandalous 1995 raid on Giacomo Medici’s warehouse in Switzerland and the looting of Iraq’s museum in 2003. This resulted in the Swiss joining the 1970 Convention on Cultural Property and changing their rules. Private collectors and museums, who are buyers of antiquities, are creating an economic incentive to loot because the money works its way backwards through the system. The law also uses the concept of willful ignorance to convict individuals involved in the illegal trade.
The Problem with the Demand for Looted Artifacts: Purchasing looted artifacts only fuels the market for archeological looting. Crackdowns on collectors may not solve the problem, as middlemen will continue to hold stockpiles. The consequences for collectors caught involve surrendering artifacts and paying fines.
The demand for looted artifacts drives the market for archeological looting in the first place. Some buyers may think that they’re saving objects by purchasing them, but the rescue narrative has a problematic history that dates back centuries. While cracking down on collectors may seem like a solution, the middlemen who facilitate connections between looters and buyers will still have stockpiles. There are negative consequences for collectors who get caught, such as having to surrender their artifacts and paying hefty fines. The United States is the largest art market in the world, but cracking down on collectors may not necessarily diminish the incentives for looters and traffickers.
Cutting off the Illicit Antiquities Collectors: Challenges and Alternatives: Stopping the looting of antiquities may take time and require alternatives to incarceration, but cutting off the illegal market is crucial. However, the problem may simply shift to other areas such as the Gulf States where looted antiquities are often stored.
Illicit collectors are often arrogant and accustomed to getting their way. Cutting off the collectors could eventually cut off looting of antiquities but may take time. Furthermore, if the illegal market in New York is cut off, the market simply moves elsewhere, such as the Gulf States. Antiquities looted from the Middle East often end up in the Gulf States and never come out. To put an end to illicit collecting, jail time may be necessary, but alternatives to incarceration are heavily favored in today's climate.
Making Deals with the Devil for Cultural Treasures: Sometimes making deals with unsavory characters can result in the recovery of priceless cultural treasures. However, it's important to consider the long-term consequences and work towards decisions that benefit the greater good.
Making deals with the devil is sometimes necessary, but it takes a toll on you. While going for the easy headline might seem appealing, it is important to make tough decisions that benefit the greater good. In the case of recovering priceless cultural treasures, sucking it up and making a deal with the devil has resulted in the recovery of almost 4,500 cultural treasures from 30 countries around the world, valued at over $200 million. However, what happens to these treasures next is a complex issue that varies greatly depending on each country.
