Acquisition and Exhibition of Classical Antiquities

“Robin Rhodes' new volume presents a rich collection of essays with multiple perspectives on ethical questions surrounding the ownership of cultural property and the acquisition of antiquities. Directors of large and small museums, lawyers specialized in U.S. and international law, art historians, curators, and field archaeologists address these topics from their own points of view. The result is as rewarding as it is timely.” —Mary Sturgeon, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

". . . one simple unseemly truth: collecting antiquities promotes the destruction of world heritage. I was fascinated by these chapters, and Rhodes has done archaeology a service in publishing this book. The elegant arguments of the archaeologists deserve a wide readership, particularly among Americancollectors. Until they understand what devastation they unwittingly promote, we can only weep for our stolen history." —Jack Davis, Director, American School of Classical Studies at Athens

". . . a welcome addition to an ever burgeoning bibliography on the ethics and legal issues in the antiquities trade. There are many essays here that are up-to-date and easily accessible to any interested reader, because they are largely written in the conversational style with which they were delivered. Many viewpoints are expressed and several essays show how the ground is shifting as museums re-write policies to take into account new legal realities, especially internationally, while archaeologists, anthropologists, art historians, and legal professionals show an increasingly more sophisticated understanding of the many dimensions of illicit excavation and the acquisition of illicit property." —James C. Wright, Bryn Mawr College

“Presented by a distinguished group of archaeologists, art historians, museum directors, and professors of law, the essays discuss the ethical and practical issues that concern how antiquities come into museums, addressing in particular international laws against looting and purchasing looted goods, and the issues that archaeologists, museum directors, and historians face when studying goods acquired without provenance.” —Book News

“This work addresses the collection and the trade of licit and illicit antiquities in museums, and also the role of academics in documenting the looting of archaeological sites and the trade in antiquities. . . . [It] serves to clarify distinct positions and reminds readers that understanding multiple viewpoints is vital in fostering more public involvement in museums’ practices.” —caareviews.org (CollegeArtAssociation)