State Department reopens record for renewal and possible amendment of the current MOU with Cyprus; Renewals of MOUs with Guatemala and Mali also to be discussed.

The State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and its Cultural Heritage Center have provided public notice of a Cultural Property Advisory Committee meeting on January 25 and 26 to discuss a renewal of a MOU with Guatemala, and renewals and possible amendments of current MOUs with Cyprus and Mali.  The public notice can be found here. A direct link to comment can be found here.  It is important that any comments be received before the January 18, 2021 11:59 PM deadline. That is also the deadline to inform the Cultural Heritage Center if you want to speak at the hearing. 

The renewal and possible amendment of the MOU with Cyprus was to be discussed last October, but consideration of the request was bumped to CPAC's January meeting given a last minute addition of proposed "emergency import restrictions" on behalf of Afghanistan being placed on the docket.  CPO has covered the CPAC public meeting that discussed that absurd request that will only benefit the Taliban regime here.  At this juncture, we have not heard one way or the other whether the State Department will actually go through with authorizing such import restrictions that would claw back Afghan heritage imported from legitimate markets in Europe just so it can be handed over to the iconoclasts who blew up the Bamiyan Buddhas and smashed many of the statues in the Kabul Museum. 

In any case, that report also includes links to papers submitted by the ACCG, IAPN, and Alan Berman about the proposal to extend and amend the Cypriot MOU.  Collectors of Byzantine, Crusader and Turkish coins should beware; it is likely that this renewal will be used as a vehicle to amend current restrictions on Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman Provincial coins minted in Cyprus to include such later issues.   

Please consider commenting if you failed to do so back in September because silence will be spun as acquiescence.  A guide on the request and what to say can be found here.  Those of you who also collect Latin American coinage should also consider commenting on the Guatemalan request.  The issues there are similar to those raised with regard to MOUs with other Latin American countries.  As described in  IAPN's paper about last year's Peruvian request, Spanish Colonial and Republican era coinage of Latin American countries simply fail to meet the threshold criteria for archaeological or ethnological objects.  Spanish Colonial and Republican era coins cannot be considered archaeological objects because they are not normally discovered in the ground.  Nor can they be properly viewed as ethnological objects.  They are the products of what at the time were sophisticated industrial practices, not crafts of tribal societies.  Moreover, such coins circulated widely, including within the United States, where they were legal tender until 1857. 

On Mali, there are no numismatic issues as far as CPO can tell. Evidently, the people of Mali preferred to use salt as currency rather than coins.  The first Malian coins were not local, but French Colonial issues from the late 19th c, making Mali one of the few countries coin collectors at least have little to worry about. Or, maybe we all should be worried if the State Department embargoes Malian salt as cultural heritage and US Customs bans all salt imports because even trained customs inspectors cannot tell Malian from other types of salt.  Don't laugh!  Recently, "rope" became targets of such embargoes, although to be fair any rope shortage appears to be the result of pandemic related supply chain issues and not cultural property embargoes. 

K-9 Looted Antiquities Detector Dog Funding Solicitation Relying on Misleading Data?

Red Arch Cultural Heritage Law and Policy Research is soliciting public funding for detector dogs to roam airports in search of looted antiquities.  Leaving aside questions about practicality and the potentially self-serving nature of such an effort, CPO notes that Red Arch is soliciting funds based on dubious claims about the value of antiquity exports from the Middle East.  However, as CPO has explained over and over again, this data relates to "country of origin," which typically means place of manufacture NOT PLACE OF EXPORT.  So, it is not at all clear that the values cited actually support the supposition that is claimed.   So, instead of antiquities detector dogs, perhaps, then a BS detector is what is really needed more than anything else.  

President Putin Awards Russia's Highest Honor to Two American Archaeological Advocacy Groups

CPO republishes this post from "Patriotic Russia Today" and hopes the reader will draw their own conclusions.

President Putin Awards Russia's Highest Honor to Two American Archaeological Advocacy Groups

President Putin has designated two American Archaeological advocacy groups, "Saving Antiquities from Everyone" and the "Context Coalition,"  Heros of the Russian Federation for their efforts to spotlight Islamic State looting and destruction of Syrian cultural sites.

The groups' extensive media efforts-- funded with the generous support of the Geldman Sox investment bank-- have not only exposed the problem of greedy Western collectors and museums and their desire to own Syrian cultural patrimony.  In addition, their work has sown confusion and suspicion within terrorist ranks.  Patriotic Russia Today has learned from sources within our glorious military intelligence service, the GRU, that the groups' social media efforts have also directly led to the execution of some key Caliphate financiers who could not explain why they never turned over a reported  $7 billion in funds made from stolen antiquities to their brother terrorists.  A mission well done!

In a break with tradition, the award ceremony will take place not at the Kremlin, but at the posh headquarters of Geldman Sox in New York.  There, it is also expected to be announced that Geldman Sox will provide financing to the legitimate Assad government for restoring Aleppo, another victim of the destruction wrought by Islamic terrorists.  Yes, there will be much to celebrate.

Cyprus: What's Wrong with This Picture?

Cypriot Government requests extension of MOU with US that authorizes the detention, seizure and repatriation of undocumented artifacts of Cypriot origin to Cyprus because they "may be stolen."  For more, see here.

Mayor of Paphos, Cyprus, accuses antiquities service of stealing artifacts; antiquities service says not stolen, just undocumented.  For more, see here.

American Archaeologists Recognize President Putin as Savior of Syria’s Antiquities

CPO republishes this item from "Patriotic Russia Today" and leaves its readers to draw their own conclusions:

American Archaeologists Recognize President Putin as Savior of Syria's Antiquities

Patriotic Russia Today

Washington, D.C.

April 1, 2016

An American archaeological group, Saving Antiquities from Everyone (“SAFrE”), has awarded President Putin its first ever “Savior of Culture and Context” Award in recognition of Russia’s role in liberating the World Heritage Site of Palmyra from the grips of DAESH terrorists.  SAFrE President Gill Barmore explained the award was overdue.  “President Putin has long been a strong supporter of archaeology.   SAFrE members well remember his scientific excavation of Greek urns during a scuba dive in the Black Sea.  Now, Russia’s president has done far more for archaeology and mankind.  Due to the mighty Russian air power he unleashed, Syrian government forces have been able to rout DAESH terrorists from the Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Hopefully, archaeologists will soon return now that Palmyra is once again under the tender loving care of President Assad and the Syrian military.”

The award ceremony is planned for October 8^th, the anniversary of Russia’s longstanding Treaty of Friendship with Syria and the Assad family, at Russia’s Embassy in Washington DC.  The event will not only honor Mother Russia and its President, but also will offer a much needed "shot in the arm" to Syrian archaeology.  Patriotic Russia Today has learned that another American archaeological group, The Context Coalition, also plans to use the gathering to announce a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Syria and the Assad family.  The MOU will be patterned on one the group already negotiated with Egypt and its President, General Sissi.  The Context Coalition MOU with Syria will not only pledge its support for the recovery of all artifacts made by Syrian ancestors over the millennia, but will help foster economic development.  Indeed, the MOU is said to include promises of financing courtesy of Context Coalition partner Geldman Sax for a new hotel complex on the grounds of the Temple of Bel which was destroyed by DAESH terrorists.   Loyal Assad friends in the Iranian construction industry have already been selected to build the facility which is meant to house tourists who will be again visiting the site soon.  In return, the Assads are said to promise to ensure continued access for American archaeologists to sites in Syria despite the ongoing hostility in hard-line U.S. Government circles with anti-Russian and anti-Syrian views. 

But the event won’t be all business.   Guests will include several well-known Hollywood entertainers, but all eyes will be on Russian Air Force Captain Balislava, the fighter pilot with supermodel looks who helped carpet bomb DAESH terrorists into submission.  And will President Putin himself make an appearance?   Russian Presidential sources say that will depend on the international situation at the time and whether the cause of world peace and justice will require the President's attention elsewhere.   

As Cultural Bureaucrats, Culture Cops and Archaeologists Party-- Questions Linger about MOU with Italy

On March 23, 2016, the Italian Embassy will be hosting a party to celebrate (a bit late) the 15th anniversary of Italy's MOU with the United States.

Speakers will include the Italian Ambassador, Evan Ryan, the Assistant Secretary of the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, as well as representatives of the Archaeological Institute of America, the Carabiniri Command for Safeguarding Cultural Patrimony, Homeland Security Investigations and the Italian Ministry of Culture, i.e., the bureaucracies, police forces and archaeological groups that have benefited most from the agreement.

There will surely be no mention of the fact that 94% of the public comments received by CPAC were either opposed to the renewal of the MOU or continued import restrictions on historical coins of the sort widely collected within Italy itself.  Nor any discussion of the limited benefits of the MOU to American citizens, who, after all, have had to pay substantial admissions fees to visit museum exhibits hyped as "cultural exchange" under its terms.

Nor presumably will there be any discussion about the poor state of Italy's monuments or the gross under funding, corruption and bureaucratic malfeasance that has caused it.

After all, why spoil a good time?

A$OR

The American Schools of Oriental Research have received over $2.1 million in grants from the US State Department and National Foundation for the Arts and Humanities, presumably to study ISIS and looting and cultural destruction in Syria and Iraq.

Meanwhile, credible estimates of the amount ISIS is making from illicit antiquities sales range from several hundred thousand to several million dollars.

What's wrong with this picture? 

Climate of Fear

The Egyptian military dictatorship has charged museum employees involved in a botched restoration of the world famous Tut gold burial mask.  The criminal charges come after months of denials about severity of damage to the artifact.

It's likely the group tried to cover up their mistake because of fear of Egypt's military rulers.  In a less harsh system, the initial problem with the mask's beard would likely have been reported rather than covered up with a amateurish restoration job.  And no doubt those responsible would have been fired, but not be subjected to criminal punishment.

Is the death penalty out of the question in Sissi's Egypt?  Others who have done far less to insult the State have already received such a sentence.

Let Him Who Is Without Sin Cast the First Stone

Much has been made regarding alleged misrepresentations in import documentation for cuneiform tablets meant for a new Bible Museum in Washington, DC.  Yet, at least some of those feasting on the story may want to consider the biblical injunction against casting stones in light of some of the whoppers that have been promoted to the media, including ISIS is making $100's of millions from looted antiquities with $36 million taken from one area in Syria alone; ISIS has looted Apamea; the Green's purchase in 2011 in Israel supported an Iraqi-Syrian terror group that only became known years later, etc.  Yes, let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

Public-Private Partnerships to Save Syrian Antiquities Are In-- But What Kind?

There is a lot of talk coming out of a high-level gathering in New York about the need to encourage public-private partnerships to save Syrian antiquities.

But what kind?

One that reaches out to collectors and dealers to encourage reasonable due diligence based on the type of artifacts involved and which embraces collecting as a way to promote cultural understanding and the protection of artifacts?

Or,

One that promotes Government imposed moratoriums on the sales of artifacts combined with funding for "cultural heritage protection" from large multinational corporations anxious to do business with corrupt and undemocratic Middle Eastern governments?

Can you guess?

Archaeo-Blogger Finds FOIA

It's good to see that one archaeo-blogger, who previously criticized the ACCG's efforts to seek information about import restrictions from the State Department, has now embraced the process himself as important to the public's right to know.  Will wonders never cease.

ISIS HAD A BOOK WITH PICTURES OF COINS IN IT!

Yesterday, the archaeological blogosphere and twitterdom whipped itself up into a minor frenzy over of an image of a page from a book that Kurdish fighters evidently seized from ISIS that included a picture of some ancient coins.

The implication of course is that this image is somehow hard "proof" that ISIS is funding itself with conflict antiquities, specifically ancient coins.  Indeed, we are informed, "[The book]  might help us to identify which ancient coins the Islamic State is handling (or expecting to handle). Thereby, it might help us to trace how the Islamic State is funding itself through the trafficking of conflict antiquities."

Of course, it does not seem much to matter that the coins depicted appear to be either Phoenician ones struck in Lebanon and coastal areas in Syria (outside of ISIS' control) or perhaps Egyptian copies of Athenian Tetradrachms.  As it is further explained, "obviously they were used and may have been deposited elsewhere". (Prof. Elkins take note.)

In any event, with all the millions ISIS is supposedly making from "conflict antiquities" one would think they could at least buy a decent price guide.

A Mystery to Unravel

A follower of this blog has sent this photo.  He/she have asked me to help identify the cat.  The head, of course, which is said to have appeared in the US, is rubbish, probably a modern copy of an Egyptian pharaoh.  Any thoughts?

Archaeo-Blogger Celebrates Small Business Saturday

Archaeo-Blogger Paul Barford has unexpectedly celebrated Small Business Saturday with a tribute to the small businesses of the International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art.  What better way to mark the day by purchasing an antiquity or ancient coin from one of these fine IADAA dealers or some equally fine small businesses of the numismatic trade?

Large Grant Needed to Determine Number of Coin Collectors?

Far off in Warsaw, a numismatic capital of the world,  one archaeo-blogger is upset about the lack of "hard numbers" out there for coin collectors.  CPO notes that the State Department recently gave ASOR $600,000 to track looting in Syria and all we've gotten out of it is flawed intelligence about ISIS and antiquities looting.  Why not then an even bigger grant to be given to a coin collectors' group to help determine the actual number of coin collectors out there?  After all, whatever their number, they are a far bigger special interest than archaeologists and, hence deserve, if anything, a much larger piece of the pie.

Forfeiture Funnies

Comedian John Oliver has given civil forfeiture laws quite a send-up.  One may rightly ask: Are forfeitures of cultural goods on behalf of foreign governments-- some of which are outright dictatorial or authoritarian regimes-- any less prone to abuse?

Archaeological Assault Brigade?

There is some talk in twitterdom about the need for archaeologists to team up with the military to defeat ISIS/ISIL.  CPO is all for it.   Committed archaeologists should sign up, get some basic military training, and be inserted into Syria and Iraq to help reclaim archaeological sites from terrorists.  Better to solve any looting problem at the source.   The other idea floated about-- import restrictions on anything and everything "Syrian"-- will undoubtedly inflict too much collateral damage on legitimate collecting.

Chutzpah

The Egyptian Military Dictatorship, fresh from demanding the US Government stop the legal trade in undocumented Egyptian artifacts, has now demanded that the Borough of Northampton stop the sale of an Egyptian artifact long in its possession.  Will British local government stand up to these imperialists against such meddling?  Surely so.  Will our US State Department also show some spine and stand up for US small businesses, collectors and Museums?  Sadly, probably not given indications that the MOU with Egypt  has already been pre-judged after some behind the scenes lobbying by politically connected archaeological organizations with a vested interest in the corrupt status quo in that troubled country.

Investigations Needed of Close, Secretive Ties to Middle Eastern Dictators and Terror States?

According to the archaeological blogosphere there are links between terrorists and collectors that must be investigated.  If so, CPO hopes any such investigation also explores the established but opaque links between the archaeological lobby and Middle Eastern military dictatorships like Egypt and even terror states like Saddam's Iraq, the Assads' Syria and the Mullah's Iran.   Any such links are potentially far more dangerous to our own national security than a few cylinder seals in the hands of terrorists.  And this is no job for Homeland Security or even the FBI.  No, this is one for the CIA or perhaps even the NSA.  They'll get to the bottom of all this-- though, of course, we may never learn what they find.

Antiquities Coalition Contractually Obligated to Sue on Behalf of Egyptian Military Dictatorship?

It appears based on this Egyptian State Media report that the Egyptian Military Dictatorship believes the Antiquities Coalition may be contractually obligated to take legal action on its behalf against the Saint Louis Art Museum.  If so, perhaps the Antiquities Coalition has gotten itself into far more than it bargained for....