Why Not Let CPAC See this Coin?

Athenian Tetradrachm (Image Courtesy of CNG, Inc.)

For over ten years, I've represented IAPN and PNG in hearings before CPAC. For all that time, I've used actual coins to illustrate the point that such artifacts circulated far beyond the borders of modern nation states claiming them to be "their cultural property."

Just as long, members of the archaeological community have used their own "props" (typically pictures of sites they allege have been looted) in their presentations. No one has ever complained. Indeed, I recall at least one time when CPAC member Sandy Boyd commented positively about the coins during a session on Italy.

Last Tuesday, I hoped to pass this attractive Athenian Tetradrachm from the Morcom Collection around along with another Greek coin and foreign copies. I thereby hoped to demonstrate that Greek coins were such important currency throughout the ancient world that they inspired local imitations. But, for some reason, it was not to be. Instead, I was told by CPAC Chair Reid that she could not accept the coins "on advice of counsel." Yet, for some reason, Professor Reid was not "advised by counsel" to reject pictures of looted tombs that were passed out by an archaeologist.

What gives? Why not let CPAC see this and the other coins?

Let's Not Make Coin Collecting the "Hobby of Kings" Once More

More about today's CPAC hearing later, but for now this is what I said more, or less, during my allotted 5 minutes:

Thank you for allowing IAPN and PNG- which represent the small businesses of the numismatic trade – the opportunity to speak to you again.

Let me add my voice to the 70% or so of the public comments posted on the regulations.gov website that either opposed the MOU in full or opposed any extension of import restrictions to coins. This is a remarkable number, particularly when one also considers that the AIA and Greek Embassy actively lobbied archaeologists who excavate in Greece and others for support.

Numismatics, or the study of coins, used to be known as the “hobby of kings.” The large numbers of coin collectors opposed to restrictions confirms that this generally no longer the case, but in Greece it remains so. There, only a chosen few can hold ancient coins legally. But they can and do then import largely what they want. For example, the Alpha Bank and the Greek National Coin Collection accessioned rare, unprovenanced Athenian Decadrachms (worth $250,000 - $1 million) to their collections. Such coins are typically found outside of Greece. Thus, this is no “repatriation by purchase,” except in a nationalistic sense.

Let me be clear. I am glad Greek museums and at least some Greek citizens can legally build large collections of unprovenanced ancient coins. But, then doesn’t that also make any Greek request for import restrictions hypocritical?

Such import restrictions will only impact Americans. As a letter in the record from the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs demonstrates, many EU citizens trade unprovenanced Greek coins quite freely and without the need for export permits. This brings us to the CPIA’s “concerted international response” requirement. That provision, which seeks to ensure the comity and effectiveness of any import restrictions, cannot possibly be met here.

Then, there is the “first discovery” requirement. Restrictions may only be lawfully imposed on artifacts “first discovered within” Greece. But, as set forth in our Greek Coin Finds study, coins struck in Greece and found elsewhere must account for some 18% of the estimated 350,000,000, or more ancient coins of the entire Greek world extant, making the “first discovery” requirement impossible to meet as well.

CPAC should consider the potential impact of import restrictions on the ability of ordinary American citizens to collect Greek coins and to engage in cultural exchange with European collectors. Please, let’s not make coin collecting the “hobby of kings” once more.

Egyptian Cleric Says Antiquities Rightfully Belong to Landowner

PhDiva has drawn my attention to this bru ha ha over an Egyptian cleric's view that antiquities rightfully belong to the landowner and not the State. See
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/public-outcry-after-salafi-preacher%E2%80%99s-fatwa-antiquities

According to the report,

Hassan, a prominent preacher, currently presents a program on the Salafi-affiliated al-Rahma channel. The program, which is aired live, features inquiries via phone calls and he answers them on the spot.

In response to a telephone call regarding Islam’s position on selling antiquities, Hassan said, “If it is found on land that you own, or in your house, then it is yours by right and you are not doing anything wrong.”

As for antiquities which are found on a public land, Hassan explained, a Muslim is prohibited from selling them, advising that he should re-bury them.

The people who filed the complaint argue that this fatwa means that all antiquities discovered on private land are the possessions of the owner of that land, and that he has the right to sell and profit from them. This contradicts the law, which punishes any private circulation of antiquities.

The preacher's view reflects the Koran's respect for private property, a theme that also runs through English law and the "takings clause" of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It would be interesting to learn whether those who filed a complaint against the preacher are archaeologists or associated in some fashion with Egypt's cultural bureaucracy.

Cambodia and Cyprus at the Smithsonian

I recently had the opportunity to visit the new Cambodian and Cypriot exhibits at the Smithsonian. Though the accompanying literature does not mention it, Cambodia and Cyprus presumably sent their exhibits to the Smithsonian as part of their MOU's with the United States.

The Cambodian exhibit is entitled, Gods of Angkor: Bronzes from the Cambodian National Museum. See: http://www.sixbid.com/nav.php?p=viewlot&sid=295&lot=67

The Cypriot exhibit is entitled, Cyprus: Crossroads of Civilization. See http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/cyprus/index.html

Both exhibits were well done, but I preferred the Cambodian exhibit over the Cypriot one because the quality of the artifacts. Perhaps, that is unfair. The focus of the Cypriot exhibit was on archaeology and history. The focus of the Cambodian exhibit was on art.

The Cambodian exhibit highlighted some magnificent bronzes found near Angkor Wat, some of which have only been recently conserved. I was particularly impressed by this effort. Nothing seemed over cleaned. Many of the bronzes had beautiful patinas.

The Cypriot exhibit was heavy on early pottery of more interest to the specialist, but there were also some magnificent icons. The coins from the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation were also top notch specimens, but they were poorly lighted. And what of coins from excavations, particularly given all the archaeological emphasis on context? My favorite artifacts, though were the two sphinxes at the door.

Though the Cambodian exhibit is superior, at least in my opinion, both exhibits are well worth visiting if you are in the Washington, DC area.

Who's on First?

In legal hearings, the proponent of a motion goes first. There are advantages to going first, but a key disadvantage is that your opponent can then respond to what you say. It's a bit odd then that the State Department's Cultural Heritage Center typically has the opponents of a MOU go first. As I recall, this pattern was only changed once when then CPAC Chair Jay Kislak indicated that despite the usual batting order, he wanted to hear from the proponents of the Italian MOU first.

We'll see what happens next Tuesday during the Greek MOU hearing, but such oddities add to the perception that the staff of the State Department's Cultural Heritage Center favors archaeologists who are the proponents of MOUs.

Looted or Captured?

The US Government repatriated this AK-47 to Iraq with other treasures: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/09/photogalleries/100908-saddam-hussein-ak-47-iraqi-artifacts-world-science-pictures/#/iraqi-artifacts-returned-firearm_25664_600x450.jpg

According to the caption,

A U.S. soldier looted the AK-47 with Saddam Hussein's image from one of the late ruler's palaces in 2003.

The pearl-gripped gun had been displayed as a war trophy at the headquarters of the Third Stryker Brigade of the Second Infantry Division in Washington State until the AK-47 was retrieved by U.S. Customs agents and returned to Iraqi authorities.

Apparently, though our troops fought gallantly to overthrow the Iraqi tyrant, it was not possible for one of their units to keep this captured weapon as a war trophy. This seems wrong to me as does the description of the item being "looted." Perhaps, souvenir hunting is now officially frowned upon, but even under the politically correct standards of today, I wonder if it was a bit much for US Customs to seize this particular item from the Third Stryker Brigade, especially since it came from one of Saddam's palaces as opposed to a museum or private residence.

I also wonder what the current Iraqi government plans to do with it. See
http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2010/09/your-tax-dollars-at-work.html

Smithsonian Exhibit Confirms Cypriot MOU Discriminates Against American Coin Collectors

I had an opportunity to visit the Smithsonian Exhibit entitled, Cyprus: Crossroads of Civilization. See http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/cyprus/index.html

The exhibit is well done and thankfully avoids modern day politics. See http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2010/10/state-sets-secret-hearing-on-cyprus-mou.html

I hope to say more about it in another post, but for now let me just comment on the historical coins from ancient times to the Venetian period that were exhibited:

All were lent by the private Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation.

No provenance information was provided for the coins.

None listed a recorded find spot.

The Bank of Cyprus purchases coins on the open market from the same sources American collectors buy from.

Yet, the AIA, the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute, the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundations and Cypriot cultural bureaucracy successfully agitated for extending import restrictions to coins, claiming that unprovenanced coins should be treated as "stolen." Members of the AIA and CAARI have also argued that artifacts without a known provenance lose their value for study.

Is the MOU about protecting archaeology or giving the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation and Cypriot collectors a competitive advantage over American collectors who can no longer legally import undocumented coins?

Is there something wrong with this picture? Is this more of do what we say, not what we do?

Why does the Obama State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs countenance such discrimination against American collectors and the small businesses of the numismatic trade? And why are they also claiming that such discrimination is not subject to review by a court?

For more about the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, see
http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2009/05/coins-of-cyprus-from-collection-of-bank.html