Twenty Seven ancient artifacts, worth some $13 million, were looted from their original countries. Officials executed five separate search warrants this year. The items will be given back to the country they originated from. India, Egypt, Libya, and Italy are a few of the countries that will receive the artifacts.
The seizures at the Met are part of the office’s larger goal of repatriating trafficked antiquities. In August, the office announced a 14th-century religious artifact would be returned to Nepal and two 17th-century books would be brought back to Spain after they were found circulating in the private art market.
Some of the items that the museum acquired were allegedly from the Italian antique dealer, Gianfranco Becchina. They had previously been investigated for illegal trafficking.
“It should be no secret to collectors, art museums and auction houses that they may be in possession of pieces from known traffickers that were illegally looted,” Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “The investigations conducted by my office have clearly exposed these networks and put into the public domain a wealth of information the art world can proactively use to return antiquities to where they rightfully belong. Our investigations, which have led to the repatriation of nearly 2,000 objects, will continue.”
There has been more and more criticism toward museums for showing artifacts that were looted. The British Museum has had people saying they need to return items, such as the Rosetta Stone, an Easter Island moai statue, and so much more.
“The museum is a leader in the field in comprehensively reviewing individual matters, and it has returned many pieces based upon thorough review and research — oftentimes in partnership with law enforcement and outside experts,” the spokesperson said. “The norms of collecting have changed significantly in recent decades, and the Met’s policies and procedures in this regard have been under constant review over the past 20 years.”
What is your take on it? Is it ethical?
Source Buzzfeed
