Antiquities & Archaeology

The Marion True trial: investigation continues

The trial of former Getty antiquities curator continues with prosecutor Daniela Rizzo offering witness evidence

Benin bronzes finally united in Viennese comprehensive exhibition

Major show at the Museum für Völkerkunde includes loans from current Oba

Parthenonarchive

Greece's share of Parthenon marbles to be transported to New Acropolis Museum using series of cranes

After it was determined that other means of removal might pose risk to the sculptures, being lifted by air appeared the safest option

Iran loses case against Barakat Gallery ordering return of artefacts seemingly taken from Jiroft

UK courts ruled that Iran presented insufficient evidence to warrant the antiquities' reacquisition

Lawsuitsarchive

Norwegian collector to sue British university for return of his antiquities

But scholars say they are likely to have been looted from Iraq

Iranarchive

Iran loses UK court battle over Persepolis fragment

Iranian lawyers argued that any rights to the fifth-century bas-relief should be relinquished to its country of origin

John Henry Merryman: Archaeologists are not helping debate over collecting antiquities

Merryman, a leading US theorist of cultural property law, argues that archaeologists are failing to acknowledge the complexity of the current debate on collecting antiquities

Questions arise surrounding legitimacy of items thought to be part of supposedly incomplete Sevso silver hoard

Documents seen by The Art Newspaper reveal that five bowls, 37 cups and 187 spoons were offered with the 14 pieces which make up the Roman treasure

Hungary wants to negotiate with Lord Northampton over Sevso silver

Based on its belief that the Sevso silver rightfully belongs to Hungary, the Hungarian government is seeking an out-of-court settlement with Lord Northampton

Unescoarchive

“Catalogue of the National Museum of Afghanistan”: recording and illustrating key objects in the Kabul Museum

Unesco has published a record of the 1,600 objects acquired by the institution between 1931 and 1985

Italyarchive

Italian archaeologists arrive in Iran for citadel of Bam restoration project

The Italian government is giving financial assistance in the 2,000 year-old site's repair, after it was badly affected by an earthquake

Unescoarchive

Getty revises its guidelines for acquiring antiquities—again

Artefacts must have left their countries of origin by 1970, the year of the Unesco Convention, or have proper export documentation to be considered for purchase

Italy gets antiquities back from Boston Museum of Fine Arts

The museum bought in good faith, but was shown evidence that they had left Italy illicitly

Bonhams u-turns on no-sale of Sevso silver

Last month the auction house told us it would not sell the hoard, but now it says it might

Greece's Archaeological Museum of Heraklion to send Minoan antiquities to British Museum

The arrangement may be the first step in diffusing the animosity brought about by the Elgin marbles, although a request for their return is expected

Collectorsarchive

A response to Peter Watson's The Medici Conspiracy: Collectors should be defended

"The picture he paints is one where the only people to have any legitimate interest in ancient art objects are closeted archaeologists"

Bonhams to show Sevso silver in first exhibition since its discovery

Scholars, curators, dealers and collectors have been invited to the private exhibition of the treasure known for its astonishing provenance

Marion True trial delayed by lawyers’ strike

This is in response to Italy's new liberalisation measures

Iraqarchive

Statue of King Entemena looted from Baghdad's National Museum recovered in New York

Following its disappearance in 2003 and an international sting, the Sumerian statue was retrieved

Unesco to step in to examine so-called “pyramids”

Academics claim that the dig is “pseudo-archaeology”

Getty antiquities to be returned to Italy

A joint statement by the Getty and Italian government says 21 pieces will go back

Iraqarchive

Minaret of Ana likely the "obelisk" said to have been lost in Iraq bombings

Professor Alistair Northedge asserts that the minaret is the only structure that fits a description provided by US marines

Art tradearchive

Excavations and trade are essential to the study of antiquities

An international symposium hosted by the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) comes together to discuss the art trade and cultural heritage preservation.

Iranarchive

Iran takes first step in reconstruction of Samarra mosque, a casualty of sectarian reprisals in Iraq

The shrine's restoration, which will be paid for by private sector investment, has been the subject of a deal brokered between ICHTO and the Iraqi Ministry of Culture