Two more articles on the return of six glazed pieces of pottery to the ancient agora in Athens. As the first piece notes, it is the eighth time in the past year that artefacts taken from sites related to the Acropolis have been returned to Greece.

From:
Monsters & Critics

Europe News
British scholar returns ancient artifacts to Greece
Apr 18, 2007, 20:07 GMT

Athens – Amid the ruins of Athens’ ancient Stoa of Attalus, Greeks welcomed the homecoming on Wednesday of six priceless black-glazed ceremonial pottery pieces from the collection of British scholar Martin Robertson.

The miniature artifacts were handed over to the Ancient Agora’s museum following the death of Robertson, the author of ‘A History of Greek Art’. The British scholar, who died in 2004, had acquired the items from American archaeologist Luy Talcott, the recording secretary of the Agora excavations in the 1930s and ’40s.
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Further details on the return of various artefacts to the Ancient Agora in Athens.

From:
CBC (Canada)

Son repatriates U.K. prof’s Greek artifacts
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 | 3:36 PM ET
CBC Arts

Greek officials welcomed the return of six ancient ceramic artifacts Wednesday, after the son of an eminent British scholar returned the ceremonial pottery miniatures to Athens.

Stephen Robertson, the son of professor Martin Robertson, gave the black-glazed ceramic works — believed to date from fifth century B.C. — to Greek officials in a formal ceremony on Wednesday.
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A number of artefacts have been returned to the Agora in Athens, after being removed in the 1930s & 40s.

From:
Athens News Agency

04/19/2007
Priceless artifacts returned to Ancient Agora

A poignant ceremony was held at the Ancient Athens Agora’s Stoa of Attalus on Wednesday to mark the return of six priceless black-glazed ceremonial pottery pieces from the collection of eminent British scholar and philhellene Martin Robertson.

The miniature artifacts were bequeathed to the Athens Agora’s museum, as stipulated in Robertson’s will, following his death in December 2004. The author of the authoritative “A History of Greek Art” (Cambridge University Press 1975), considered his magnum opus, inherited the items from American archaeologist Lucy Talcott, the recording secretary of Agora excavations in the 1930s and ‘40s.
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Has Neil MacGregor potentially opened a way for the Parthenon Sculptures to be returned to Athens with his comments given in an interview? Based on past experience, I’d expect a retraction from the British Museum within the next week suggesting that they were quoted out of context, or that their answer needs further clarification.

From:
Bloomberg News

Will Elgin Marbles Ever Make It Back to Athens? Martin Gayford
By Martin Gayford
April 17 (Bloomberg)

Is there the merest hint of movement in the world’s most intractable restitution drama? That is, the issue of the Elgin — or, if you prefer, Parthenon — Marbles, which has flared up at intervals since Lord Elgin removed them from the Acropolis at Athens in the 19th century.

Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, appeared to open the door to compromise in an interview with Bloomberg News, but only by a fraction of an inch. In principle, would he and the trustees consider a request from Athens to borrow the marbles?
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More on the return of some of the hair of Ramses II to Egypt.

From:
ABC News (USA)

Ancient Pharaoh’s Hair Returns to Egypt
By SETARREH MASSIHZADEGAN
CAIRO, Egypt Apr 10, 2007 (AP)

Locks of 3,200-year-old hair from the pharaoh Ramses II were unveiled at the Egyptian Museum on Tuesday, returned to Egypt after being stolen 30 years ago in France and put up for sale on the Internet.

The small tufts of brown hair were displayed alongside pieces of linen bandages and 11 pieces of resin used in the mummification of Ramses and his son Merneptah in a glass display case. Photographers mobbed the case as Egypt’s culture minister and antiquities chief showed off the returned items.
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Zahi Hawass has had some success with securing the return of Egyptian artefacts. There are many more that he still has his sights on however.

From:
International Herald Tribune

Ramses II hair returned to Egyptian Museum
The Associated Press
Published: April 10, 2007

CAIRO, Egypt: With the Internet as their tool, Egyptian officials are scouring the world for artifacts of ancient Egypt they contend should rightfully be in Cairo.

They may be far from getting back the Rosetta Stone, but on Tuesday, officials unveiled 3,200-year-old hair locks from the pharaoh Ramses II, stolen 30 years ago in France and found after pieces of the hair went up for sale on the Internet.
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Hidden in this article is a public admission that whilst in Athens on a visit related to the 2012 Olympics, British MPs were involved in discussions about the Elgin Marbles. This is noteworthy, as generally, whatever communication might be going on, the public statements suggest that there is none.

Relevant paragraph highlighted in bold.

From:
Daily Telegraph

Fun and games: MPs’ Olympic ‘junkets’
By Christopher Hope
Last Updated: 10:59am BST 09/04/2007

The Olympics is renowned for its ability to bring together people from all over the world, but MPs have shown that the globetrotting is not the sole preserve of athletes.

With the budget of the London games in 2012 already three times the original estimate, politicians are sending the costs higher still by embarking on overseas junkets to countries which have previously hosted the event.
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Now that the Getty has started to hand back Greek artefacts, have reasons for keeping the Elgin Marbles in Britain disappeared?

From:
Spero News

Greek antiquities returned: Elgin marbles next?
The Getty Museum has returned two looted artefacts to Greece. Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis says that UK’s excuses for not returning Elgin marbles have “evaporated”.
Friday, April 06, 2007
By Karolos Grohman

Greece displayed two ancient, looted artefacts on March 29 that had been returned from the J. Paul Getty Museum and said the recovery of its most famous antiquities – the Elgin Marbles – was only a matter of time.

The Los Angeles-based Getty gave back a 4th century BC Macedonian gold wreath and a 6th century BC marble statue of a woman as part of their deal with Greece to return four objects from their collection that were the result of smuggling and illegal sale.
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Officials at the British Museum say that it is unlikely that they will consider returning the Oxus treasure to Tajikistan, despite appeals from the country’s president to do so.

From:
International Herald Tribune

British Museum says it is unlikely to give Oxus Treasure to Tajikistan
The Associated Press
Published: April 5, 2007

LONDON: The British Museum is unlikely to hand an ancient gold and silver collection to Tajikistan, despite an appeal by the central Asian country’s president, an official said Thursday.

Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rakhmon said Wednesday he was seeking the Oxus Treasure — which consists of about 170 objects dating from the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., including vessels, model chariots and figures, armlets, seals, rings and coins.
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Tajikistan’s president would like the British Museum to return the Oxus treasure, part of his country’s heritage, which is currently in their collection.

From:
International Herald Tribune

Britain must return Oxus treasure to Tajikistan, president says
The Associated Press
Published: April 4, 2007

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan: Tajikistan’s president wants Britain to return to his country a collection of ancient gold and silver, known as the Oxus treasure, which is kept at the British Museum, his office said Wednesday.

“The president has given orders to take the necessary steps to return the most valuable artifacts of the Amu Darya treasure,” President Emomali Rakhmon’s office said in a statement.
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More coverage on the Greek requests for the return of the Parthenon Marbles & the decision by the Vatican not to return a portion of the Parthenon sculptures in their museum.

From:
Globe & Mail (Canada)

Greece has eyes on Elgin marbles
KAROLOS GROHMANN
Reuters

ATHENS — Greece displayed two ancient, looted artifacts on Thursday that had been returned from the J.P Getty Museum and said the recovery of its most famous antiquities – the Elgin Marbles – was only a matter of time.

The Los Angeles-based Getty gave back a 4th century BC Macedonian gold wreath and a 6th century BC marble statue of a woman as part of their deal with Greece to return four objects from their collection that Greece says were the result of smuggling and illegal sale.
Read the rest of this entry »