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In SLAM's archives is a letter by Peter Lacovara dated December 12, 1999 in which he assures the Museum (who nearly two years earlier had bought a mummy mask from Phoenix Ancient Art) that that
Egyptian archaeologists were officially allowed to keep a share of their finds. Lacovara writes that:
Selim Hassan is an interesting character. Although again I cannot comment on any sales of artefacts originating from him, I thought in the context of the subject matter of this blog this video of the Egyptian Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage about the life of this Egyptian archaeologist, and his efforts to bring back many of the antiquities that had been smuggled out of the country. The film makers say:
Was he really selling finds on the side? Again, a request for information from readers.
In SLAM's archives is a letter by Peter Lacovara dated December 12, 1999 in which he assures the Museum (who nearly two years earlier had bought a mummy mask from Phoenix Ancient Art) that that
Egyptian archaeologists were officially allowed to keep a share of their finds. Lacovara writes that:
Egyptian nationals were allowed to keep a share of their finds, much as Europeans were given divisions. That is how the Metropolitan [Museum of Art] got those Middle Kingdom coffins from the Kashaba excavations. A lot of Goneim’s contemporaries did the same. There is material from Zaki Saad’s excavations in the late 40’s and early 50’s now for sale in Texas. Also, Selim Hassan and Ferdinand DeBono also were allowed to keep items and later sold some.I am having a bit of difficulty sorting out this vague information. The first presumably refers to Said Bey Kashaba who excavated at Meir and Asyut in the early decades of the twentieth century. I will update with any information on the Metropolitan sarcophagi mentioned by Lacovara when I find it. Zaki Saad was excavating in Helwan and Saqqara from 1942-54, though what material from his excavations was "on sale in Texas" in the 1990s is unclear to me. Perhaps a reader can help out?
Selim Hassan is an interesting character. Although again I cannot comment on any sales of artefacts originating from him, I thought in the context of the subject matter of this blog this video of the Egyptian Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage about the life of this Egyptian archaeologist, and his efforts to bring back many of the antiquities that had been smuggled out of the country. The film makers say:
"He was the first official to proclaim Egypt's right to have its stolen antiquities returned. The film is a biopic, relating how this humble history teacher became the greatest archaeologist in Egypt's modern history. He was also a very important Egyptian historian, who published well over 50 books and articles about Egyptology in different languages.
SLAM deliberately took my comments out of context. I was trying to warn them that the only legitimate way the mask of Kanefernefer was if -SOMEHOW -Goneim had been allowed to keep it and his heirs had sold it. There were objects sold on the art market for many years that had been excavated by Saad, Hassan and Kashaba. I saw objects from DeBono's excavations in his own home in Heliopolis. The point I was making to SLAM was that they really needed to do due diligence as to the provenance of the mask. They did not. The recent court case awarding them the mask is a travesty as they clearly new soon after the acquisition of the mask that it was under a cloud and did nothing to try and investigate its provenance. They acted in bad faith, as they did with me in misrepresenting my cautioning them as an excuse that they somehow had a legitimate claim- which indeed they do not! -
ReplyDeletePeter Lacovara
SLAM deliberately took my comments out of context. I was trying to warn them that the only legitimate way the mask of Kanefernefer was if -SOMEHOW -Goneim had been allowed to keep it and his heirs had sold it. There were objects sold on the art market for many years that had been excavated by Saad, Hassan and Kashaba. I saw objects from DeBono's excavations in his own home in Heliopolis. The point I was making to SLAM was that they really needed to do due diligence as to the provenance of the mask. They did not. The recent court case awarding them the mask is a travesty as they clearly new soon after the acquisition of the mask that it was under a cloud and did nothing to try and investigate its provenance. They acted in bad faith, as they did with me in misrepresenting my cautioning them as an excuse that they somehow had a legitimate claim- which indeed they do not!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that clarification, I must say the way this has been presented had me a bit confused about your own role in the whole thing. I was going to mention this in the next post on the series, so glad you looked in and added that information. (Any other comments gratefully accepted)
ReplyDeleteWhat SLAM "knew" or should have, and the court case are two different things. I think it disgusting that it is taking a court case to sort out what even a ten year old could see is a profound wrong. What price honour, eh?
I wonder if I might contact you off-blog? I am having difficulty finding two facts needed for the next post in the series "SLAM buys a mummy mask".
Also as you see, I had a bit of a problem sorting out from sources I had at home over the weekend which finds you were talking about. Can you fill us in (either here or your own blog) on those sarcophagi and the finds on sale "in Texas"?