The Acquisition and Exhibition of Classical Antiquities: Professional, Legal, and Ethical Perspectives

Response to Nancy Bookidis

Response to Nancy Bookidis Joanne M. Mack N        Archaeological Museum, a major art theft perpetrated by professional criminals, as an example of the effect of the illicit antiquities trade upon museums, art history, and archaeological research. Bookidis also illustrates what measures museums might put in place to increase the likelihood of recovery, as well as measures that might reduce the number of art thefts from museums and archaeological sites. But her main point is that the market for antiquities acts as a catalyst for theft from museums as well as from archaeological sites, galleries, and private collections. In addition, the theft at the Corinth Archaeological Museum had several costs— monetary, educational, and scholarly—which often go unrecognized when art theft is discussed. She notes that the difficulty of recovery for a museum or archaeological researcher is linked to the nature of the laws regarding the theft of antiquities and art, the type of thief involved, and the ethics of some art dealers, auction houses, and museum curators. What, then, are some steps to take in order to lessen the number of successful thefts from museums and archaeological sites? As an anthropological archaeologist who specializes in the cultures of North America, I may have a slightly different perspective than the other speakers and respondents at this sympo132 sium, but the problems we face are similar.Art and artifact theft is a global problem. Significant Points There are several steps which could lessen the number of thefts and increase the likelihood of recovery. First, we must recognize there is a problem. For example, of the known art thefts between 1983 and 1986, 11 percent were from museums throughout the world and 37 percent were from galleries.1 Second, we must build cooperation between museums and archaeologists. As part of this cooperation, public notification is critically important: let the public know and understand what is at stake.2 And don’t let the media oversimplify the issue into a debate between museums and archaeologists, which weakens the potential to alert the public to the severity of the problem . Also do not allow the press to romanticize the thief. Let it be known that often the people involved in large thefts are also involved in drug trafficking and other major crime, such as funding insurgents throughout the world. They are dangerous people. Of course, art thefts are committed by opportunistic crooks or unethical employees, but large thefts, such as the one at Corinth, are often undertaken by cartels, which are involved in other illegal activities . Another aspect of notification is to publish information on all thefts fully in professional publications. Thefts should not be hidden because the museum or archaeological project is embarrassed and wishes to protect its reputation. The help of other professionals can increase the chance for stolen objects to be recovered, as illustrated by the recognition in two different instances of objects from the Corinth Archaeological Museum theft, which led to their recovery and return to the museum. Response to Nancy Bookidis 133 1. S. MacKenzie 2005. 2. G. Stuart 1999. There are also actions which museums and archaeologists may take to decrease the ease with which thieves may steal from museums and archaeological excavations and laboratories and to increase the recovery rate for objects if stolen. They include developing and supporting help for smaller, regional museums by large museums, college and universities, foundations, and governments. In approximately the last ten years the theft of antiquities and art from small, regional museums has increased dramatically. In Greece, Bookidis notes that in the six months before the Corinth theft there had been 231 museum thefts in Greece. In the United States since the 1960s the number of small, regional museums has increased dramatically, so that by 1996 there were 7500.3 Such museums have minimal funding and staff, often hiring one paid staff member and operating primarily with volunteers. Such museums are particularly vulnerable to theft. All museums can deter theft by the installation of better security, and they will increase the chances for recovery if they have complete inventories with photographs and have published information on their collections, with speci- fic research articles on objects. However, smaller museums and galleries lack sufficient funds for security, thus making them vulnerable . They also lack the professional staff for publications based upon their collections, and even for completing inventories of their collections. Without help such small...