An ancient coffin smuggled into the US many years ago is now due to be returned to Egypt.

From:
Press TV

US to return smuggled Egyptian coffin
Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:59:34 GMT

Egyptian Culture Minister Faruq Hosni says his country will reclaim a Pharaonic coffin smuggled into the US more than 125 years ago.

Egypt’s antiquities chief Zahi Hawass will receive the ornately painted coffin next month, Hosni said in a statement.
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As the Cyrus Cylinder debate continues, the British Museum claims that it requires at least six months to study the newly found fragments. It is unclear though why it is necessary to do this now (and delay the already many times postponed loan), rather than wait until the cylinder is returned at the end of the loan period. Of course they could be assuming that others will have the same propensity to break promises as they do.

From:
Press TV (Iran)

London needs 6 months to study new cylinder pieces
Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:27:00 GMT

The British Museum says it needs at least six more months to study the newly-found fragments of the ancient Cyrus cylinder.

The museum announced the discovery of new clay pieces in its storeroom, which seem to be copies of the Persian Cyrus cylinder, known as the world’s first charter of human rights.
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The long running dispute over the Cyrus cylinder took a new twist recently when additional fragments from it were thought to have been discovered. Many are unconvinced by this though – whether or not fragments have suddenly appeared, is this a valid reason for delaying an already extensively postponed issue, or merely a delaying tactic.

From:
Press TV (Iran)

‘Cyrus cylinder does not have new info’
Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:47:43 GMT

Senior Research Associate of the University of Chicago says finding new Cyrus cylinder pieces should not delay its exhibition in Iran.

“Finding new pieces of the cylinder is not a good excuse for postponing its exhibition in Iran,” Iranologist and Senior Research Associate for the Iranian Prehistoric Project of the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute Abbas Alizadeh told ISNA.
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Following various discussions in November on the proposed loan of the Cyrus Cylinder, there are now going to be further delays to the loan, caused by the emergence of some new fragments of the cylinder that are being studied before anything else happens to it. Its unclear quite why these fragments have suddenly transpired now.

From:
Bloomberg News

British Museum Delays Sending Artifact to Iran After New Find
Last Updated: January 11, 2010 07:33 EST
By Farah Nayeri

Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) — The British Museum, which faces demands from Iran to lend an ancient artifact known as the Cyrus Cylinder, said it would delay sending the object there after making a discovery.

In agreement with the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organization, the Cylinder will stay in London after similar inscriptions were found on two pieces of cuneiform tablet in the museum’s collections that may shed light on its “missing” or “obscure” passages, the museum said in an e-mailed news release.
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More coverage of the return by the Louvre of Egyptian artefacts.

From:
Press TV

Louvre returns Egypt’s ancient artworks
Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:34:26 GMT

The Louvre Museum has returned Egypt’s ancient wall paintings after the country severed ties with the French art hub in October.

Egypt retrieved the fragments after President Hosni Mubarak checked one of them during a visit with his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, Artdaily reported.
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After delays & discussions, the promised loan by the British Museum of the Cyrus Cylinder looks like it is finally going to go ahead.

From:
Press TV (Iran)

Iran finalizes Cyrus Cylinder exhibit
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:47:13 GMT

After several months of negotiations with the British Museum in London, the Cyrus the Great Cylinder exhibit in Iran has been finalized for January 16, 2010.

The clay Cyrus Cylinder, which is currently housed at the British Museum in London, will be brought to Tehran in January, the head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) announced on Wednesday.
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As detailed before, the Press TV programme on Who really owns stolen and looted artefacts? has now been broadcast. Presented by Yvonne Ridley, guests on the panel included: Tim Schadla-Hall (Reader in Public Archaeology), Julian Radcliff (Chairman of the Art Loss Register), Dr Caroline Goodson (Birckbeck College, University of London) & Matthew Taylor (editor of Elginism.com).

Watch it online on the Press TV website, or view the embedded version below.

Next week’s episode of The Agenda, a programme presented by Yvonne Ridley on Press TV is on the subject of Treasure: Who really owns stolen and looted artefacts?. I am appearing on the show, along with three other guests, to discuss various aspects of this issue. The programme isn’t specifically about the Parthenon Sculptures, but covers them along with many other similar cases.

The programme is on Friday 13th at 19:05 GMT for 55 minutes. If you are in the UK, Press TV is available on Sky Channel 515. It should also be available on satellite or cable in most other English speaking countries.

You can watch the channel live online here. You can also watch it after the show has been broadcast on this archive page for the programme.

In an unusual turn of events, New York’s Metropolitan Museum purchased a four thousand year old relief from a collector with the sole intention of returning it to Egypt. It is unclear from this article whether there was any other motive present that led to this peculiar transaction.

From:
Press TV (Iran)

MET agrees to return Pharoanic relic to Egypt
Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:16:12 GMT

Egyptian authorities say New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has agreed to return an ancient Pharoanic relic to its homeland.

According to Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, the red granite shrine piece was purchased from a New York antiquities collector last October to be returned.
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A representative from the British Museum is going to discuss the Cyrus Cylinder in Iran. This seems to indicate that Iran’s threats to cease cooperation if the issue was not dealt with by the institution has at least had some success.

From:
Press TV (Iran)

UK official visits Iran over Cyrus cylinder
Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:34:44 GMT

A British Museum representative is to head to Tehran in a bid to negotiate with Iranian officials over lending the Cyrus cylinder inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform.

“The director of the Middle East department at the British Museum, Sheila Canby, is scheduled to visit Tehran so as to address the matter. The 2,500-year-old clay cylinder was to be temporarily handed over to Iran in September. The British Museum however did not honor its pledge citing developments after Iran’s election in June,” Head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) Hamid Baqaei said.
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The dispute over the Cyrus Cylinder continues, with Iran hoping that their threats of ceasing other cooperation with the British Museum will re-initiate the talks. The question has to be asked though why such actions are necessary in the first place & whether the British Museum will carry out its promise & allow the loan to take place.

From:
Press TV (Iran)

Iran’s ultimatum on Cyrus cylinder worries UK
Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:26:46 GMT

The British Museum has informed Iran in a letter that a delegation will be sent to Tehran to discuss the loaning of the Achaemenid Cyrus cylinder to Iran.

The clay Cyrus Cylinder is inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform with an account by Cyrus II, king of Persia (559-530 BC) and is considered as the world’s first charter of human rights.
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Further coverage of the tension between Iran & the British Museum over the loan of the Cyrus Cylinder.

From:
Press TV (Iran)

British Museum cancels artifact loan to Iran
Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:22:59 GMT

The British Museum is refusing to loan the Achaemenid Cyrus cylinder to Iran, citing the country’s post-election political state, a report says.

A deal to loan the ancient clay cylinder in return for a number of Iranian treasures dating back to the time Safavid King Shah Abbas was reached between the Iranians and the director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor.
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