On July 19, 2017, the U.S. Cultural Property Advisory
Committee held its first “virtual” meeting where some CPAC members and all
speakers were linked via an internet based video platform. According to my notes, at least the following
CPAC members were in attendance: (1) John
Frank (Trade); (2) Karol Wight (Museum); (3) Lothar von Falkenhausen
(Archeology); (4) Nancy Wilkie (Archaeology); (5) Rosemary Joyce (Archaeology);
(6) Dorit Straus (Trade); (7) Adele Chatfield-Taylor (Public); and (8) Jeremy
Sabloff (Public-Chair).
There were six (6) speakers:
(1) Peter Tompa (International Association of Professional Numismatists/Professional
Numismatist’s Guild; (2) Sue McGovern (Association of Dealers and Collectors of
Ancient and Ethnographic Art); (3) William Wright (coin collector); (5) Kate
FitzGibbon (Antique Tribal Art Dealers Association) and (6) Nathan Elkins
(Baylor). Due to a technical problem,
Gary Vikan (Global Heritage Alliance) did not speak.
Peter Tompa- The request is a troubling one. Libya has no government to speak of and
anything repatriated cannot be protected from the militias running the country. To the extent any restrictions are granted,
they should be limited to site specific restrictions for material identifiable
as from Libya’s 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well as for coins identifiable
as being stolen from public and private collections. Restrictions cannot lawfully be placed on
coins because they are not of cultural significance. Moreover, hoard evidence proves that one
cannot assume coins struck in Libya in ancient times were also found there. (For more, see here.)
Sue McGovern- Libya’s chaotic governance means that it
cannot undertake self-help measures or protect what cultural patrimony it has,
let alone that which may be repatriated under a MOU. Libya has no open museums. It should be taken to task for opposing
UNESCO’s efforts to list its World Heritage sites as endangered. In a troubling episode, one powerful militia
(supported by General Sisi’s Egyptian military government) burned 6,000
books. Under the circumstances, any MOU
is a bad idea.
William Wright- Wright is a teacher at a community college
in Virginia. He became interested in the
coins from Kyrene because they depict Silphium, a now extinct medicinal
plant. He uses coins in his history
classes. His students benefit from the
tactile experience of handling coins. He
only buys from established dealers, but worries about the chilling effect
restrictions are having on the hobby.
Kate FitzGibbon- The short comment period has
disenfranchised Jewish groups which are incensed that Libya is seeking U.S.
Government approval for its efforts to claim the property of expelled Jews as
its own. The request should also be
denied as to Tuareg material as most
Tuaregs live outside Libya and one cannot tell recent tribal arts from early
tribal arts that are the target of this MOU.
Nathan Elkins- Looting is well documented in Libya. Restrictions should also extend to coins as
for other objects. Coins are special
targets for looters. CPAC should be wary
of the misrepresentations of the lobbyists for the coin trade. Nancy Wilkie (Archaeology) asked Elkins if
metal detectors were used in Libya.
Elkins does not know for sure, but assumes so. Dorit Straus (Trade) asked Elkins about
documenting coins. Elkins does not
understand why collectors don’t document coins as he did as a collector before
stopping for ethical reasons.
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