Sicily return stolen assets
Metropolitan Museum of Art has returned to Aydon (Sicily), a collection of silver objects from the Hellenistic period, found during excavations of the colony Morgantini. In early 2011 the Getty Museum will return to the local museum in the statue of the
Italian authorities continue to fight for what belongs to them by law. Cultural property illegally extracted from the land of black archaeologists (Italian for "tombaroli") and exported from Italy, are constantly found in private collections in the collections of major museums and catalogs of the leading auction houses. In recent years, disputes over ownership of these items are resolved, usually in favor of the Italian side.
Thus, Aydon (Sicily) return the artifacts, once illegally extracted from the ground and removed in USA. December 3 in the local archaeological museum has a collection of objects from the Hellenistic period of gilded silver, returned Metropolitan Museum (New York).
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Historical values are returned in Aydon not the first time. In 2009 there were returned two statues of the goddesses Demeter and Persephone, which were previously in the collection of the New York businessman Maurice Tempelsmena (Maurice Tempelsman). These figures akroliticheskie - that is, they have a wooden trunk and head, hands and feet - of marble. Specifically for them Sicilian designer Marella Ferrera (Marella Ferrera) stitched tunics.
16 silver objects, which are now back in Aydon, were extracted from the ground during the excavation of Greco-Roman colony Morgantini around the city . Scientists suggest that the most likely place they've found - the so-called "House Evpolema. Most likely, it was a treasure of silver things in two earthen vessels, that the owner had buried in the basement during the siege Morgantini by the Romans in 211, the BC. er. Group objects, which includes bowls, drinking cups, a ladle with a handle in the shape of a dog's head, and other items allegedly used for religious ceremonies and feasts.
Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased the collection in parts - in 1981 and 1982 - only 2.74 million dollars from the art dealer Robert Hecht (Robert Hecht). Now the latter is under investigation in Rome, he is accused of buying and reselling stolen artifacts. New York museum owned this collection of nearly 30 years, and for most of this period, Italian scientists and representatives of the Italian authorities have tried to prove that these things were taken illegally. And only in 2006 between the Italian Government and Metropolitan Museum signed an agreement under which silver objects were to return in February 2010. However, the actual transfer of the archaeological museum Idonia held only recently. Henceforth, a collection of Morgantini will be on "joint custody" Sicilian Museum and the Metropolitan Museum and to move from one museum to another every four years.
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modest museum campus with Idonia population of just over five thousand residents preparing to take one more valuable exhibit. According to the management of the Getty Museum (Los Angeles), after the new year in Aydon return goddess statue made of marble and limestone (probably Aphrodite). This is the last of the 40 artifacts that guide the Getty agreed to return to Italy after learning that they were stolen. sculpture Getty Museum bought in 1988 for $ 18 million. To carry it is now back in Italy, the statue will disassemble the 107 fragments. For its future preservation of the representatives of the Getty created a special pedestal, capable of protecting the fragile work of possible seismic shocks in her new home in Sicily. In gratitude for isolating the base of Sicily will give the Getty Museum to rent a few works from the collections of their museums.
Idonia Residents hope that the completion of the museum collection is so valuable works will increase the flow of tourists to their small town.
material was prepared by Maria Onuchina, AI
Source: , artinvestment.ru
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