A few days ago, Alun Salt wrote an extremely readable account of the affair of the 'Ka Nefer Nefer' mask from Sakkara now in St Louis. The text is called "Do you need a note from a criminal to prove an artefact is stolen?" which just about says it all.
He has an amusing mock test for museum staff involved in the purchase ("If you scored mostly ‘A’s: Congratulations! You would not be not looking like a prize buffoon. ..."), which reminded me that one person we have heard very little from is Sidney Goldstein, the curator of ancient and islamic art at the St Louis Art Museum that was (at least according to the Riverfront Times article on the affair) primarily responsible for the purchase. I guess in Salt's test, he would have "scored mostly ‘B’s". I wonder what the Trustees of the beleagured museum think about that. It would be interesting to hear Mr Goldstein's side of the story.
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For more discussion of this piece see Looting Matters.
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