Antiquities

In Burkina Faso and Mali, pilot scheme builds defences against illegal trafficking of cultural antiquities

Icom and Aliph’s $250,000 project is providing training and security measures for 22 museums in countries ravaged by war

Antiquities dealer Ali Aboutaam given 18-month suspended sentence by Geneva court

Decision brings the six-year investigation into the provenance of 15,000 antiquities from Phoenix Ancient Art to an end, with only a handful found to lack proper documentation

US returns stolen artefact to Palestine as part of investigation into New York collector Michael Steinhardt

The US government has returned a looted ivory spoon in the first repatriation exchange between the two countries

Qatari sheikh wins £4.2m lawsuit against prominent London dealer John Eskenazi

While the judge decided the defendant sold the works in good faith, he ruled that all seven objects purchased by the sheikh are fakes

Antiquities trafficking charges against former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez and curator Jean-François Charnier could be dropped

The ruling of the examining chamber, expected next year, could overturn the investigation against both curators in a case implicating the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Metropolitan Museum

American billionaire's Cycladic antiquities collection unveiled in Athens as Greece and Metropolitan Museum of Art reach agreement

The Greek state is now the sole owner of the artefacts but all 161 pieces will be on a 25-year loan to the Met from January 2024

Disgraced antiquities dealer Subhash Kapoor sentenced to ten years in prison by Indian court

The ruling culminates an extensive investigation into a smuggling ring headed by Kapoor

A 2,000-year-old Israeli coin minted during the ‘great Jewish revolt’ repatriated by US authorities

The coin, a Quarter Shekel valued at $1m, was looted in from Israel in 2002 and had been headed for auction before being recovered by US Homeland Security agents in 2017

French art dealer Didier Wormser stands trial for trafficking looted Egyptian antiquities

Owner of L’Etoile d’Ishtar gallery said artefacts from Saqqara necropolis “should be restituted to Egypt” but insists he purchased them in good faith

How partition divided a centuries-old manuscript between India and Pakistan—and continues to plague the region's heritage

Research on the Chandayan of Mulla Da’ud has suffered ever since 24 folios narrating the love story were split up across the border in 1947

The Getty Museum will return a set of illegally excavated life-size statues to Italy

The group of figures, known as “Orpheus and the Sirens”, is one of four artefacts the museum is repatriating to Italy based on new evidence

Iraqnews

British tourist’s 15-year prison sentence for antiquities smuggling overturned by Iraqi appeals court

James Fitton, a 66-year-old retired geologist, had been convicted of antiquities smuggling after taking pottery shards from an ancient site

Art crimeanalysis

Jailing of British visitor to Iraq could jeopardise tourism and soft diplomacy

After years of conflict and sanctions, heritage trips have been taking off in the area. But potential visitors may be wary after geologist Jim Fitton was given a 15-year sentence for taking “a few worthless pieces of broken pottery”

Louvre launches civil action as part of art trafficking case involving former director Jean-Luc Martinez

A number of objects purchased by the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Metropolitan Museum of Art are now under scrutiny—including an ancient Egyptian marble head worth €35m

Former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez charged in connection with antiquities trafficking investigation

Martinez has been indicted for “complicity of gang fraud and laundering“ of objects purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Louvre Abu Dhabi

Qatari sheikh loses appeal over fake antiquities claim against Phoenix Ancient Art

Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah al-Thani had accused the New York- and Geneva-based dealership of selling him two allegedly fake statues for a combined $5.2m

Italian court calls for restitution of ancient marble statue from Minneapolis Institute of Art

The two-metre-tall statue, which the museum acquired for $2.5m in 1986, was allegedly excavated illegally in the 1970s

Dealer suspected of selling looted antiquities to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Louvre Abu Dhabi detained in Paris

The Hamburg-based dealer Roben Dib was arrested in Paris last week. His lawyers say he will "fully cooperate with the investigation"

Two lots withdrawn from Christie’s antiquities sale after possible ties emerge to dealers known to traffic in illicit artefacts

The artefacts were flagged by Christos Tsiogiannis, who has, since 2006, been identifying looted antiquities through photographic archives of suspected and convicted dealers in plunder

Archaeologist calls for repatriation of Roman fresco in Getty collection that came from known antiquities traffickers

Research published by forensic archaeologist Christos Tsirogiannis suggests the brilliant fresco fragment may have been illegally excavated near Pompeii

Antiquities dealers appeal restrictive New York ban on ivory

The appeal primarily challenges restrictions around the display of commercial ivory objects in the state

US bans import of art and antiquities from Afghanistan

Experts in the trade question whether items seized by US customs under the new four-year policy will be returned to the Taliban

Sotheby's to offer The Hamilton Aphrodite, an ancient Roman marble last sold 70 years ago now expected to fetch up to £3m

The larger than life-size statue was brought back from Rome by the Duke of Hamilton in the 18th century and is named after his Scottish palace

Qatari sheikh's treasures go on show at 'mini-Versailles' in Paris for the next 20 years

Collection of Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani finds a long-term home at the Hôtel de la Marine, the former repository of French royal furniture, art and jewels

Antiquities think tank pushes UK to impose tougher regulations to fight trade in looted art

Antiquities Coalition has published a policy brief urging government to seize the "window of opportunity" in wake of repealed EU Cultural Goods Regulations

How British Museum's maintenance woes have kept Parthenon Marbles off view for a full year

The poor condition of the London museum’s Greek and Assyrian galleries—with roofs in disrepair causing long closures—is adding to calls for the restitution of the contested works

Major art trade groups join forces to stop looted Afghan artefacts reaching Western market

International trade groups including top British antique dealers vow to oppose trade of Afghan heritage artefacts under Taliban control

It all started with a Roman bowl bought for 75p: antiquities dealership Charles Ede celebrates 50 years in business

The London gallery, now run by Martin Clist and Charis Tyndall, is marking five decades with an exhibition of Greek black glaze pottery opening this week

How do you spot a looted antique? Germany brings in team of experts to help

Government has established €600,000 three-year pilot project called NEXUD to combat illegal trade in antiquities