Ankara has embarked on a series of restoration projects on Armenian churches in Turkey, amid criticism that the country’s remaining Armenian cultural and historical heritage not destroyed during World War I has been left to ruin.
The restorations are part of the government’s bid to show that it is improving the rights of Turkey’s Armenian community. For some observers, the past year’s intensified restoration efforts of about a dozen churches throughout the country are no doubt related to the upcoming 100th commemoration of the World War I killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
The government’s efforts to reconcile with Turkey’s small Armenian community dates back a few years, with the reopening of the Akdamar (Akhtamar) Church near the southeastern city of Van. The 10th-century Church of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van was reopened in 2007 as a museum.
Ankara spent 2 million Turkish Liras on extensive restorations of the church, and in 2010 a religious ceremony was held there for the first time in 95 years.
In addition, the word “Armenian” could not be found anywhere on the church’s original information signboard, but it was renewed last year in order to emphasize that the church was a part of Armenian heritage in Anatolia.
Similar changes are expected to be made during the renewal of other signboards where “Armenian” has been omitted.
Today, the Armenian community in Turkey, which numbers around 70,000, is almost entirely concentrated in Istanbul.
In a historic first, the Turkish government last year offered condolences for the mass killings of Armenians in 1915, which then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said had “inhumane consequences,” expressing hope that those who had died were now at peace.
Today's post is part of the Teen Book Scene's tour for Jennifer Brown's novel Bitter End. Here today, we have Cole, Alex's boyfriend to answer some This or That questions!
Turkey or Ham Ham, because all these years Coach has been pushing turkey, turkey, turkey, muscle, muscle, muscle. I just want out.
Sweet or Salty Sweet. I’ve gotten kind of used to those sweet coffee drinks since hanging out at The Bread Bowl watching Alex.
Ocean or Mountains Definitely the mountains, because that’s where Zack is taking my girlfriend next summer, and I don’t care what she says about him being her “best friend,” he’s got the hots for her. If I went with them, I could get in his face the second he even thought about getting close to her.
Jazz or Pop Pop, especially after a great game.
Hardcover or Paperback Paperback. Easy to bend and shove into my pocket.
Truth or Dare Dare. There are truths Alex doesn’t need to learn about me.
M&Ms — Peanut or Peanut Butter Peanut.
A one room library or Books in every room in your house There’s not much in our house. We just moved, and Brenda (my mom, if you want to call her that) is too lazy to unpack our stuff.
Gum or Breath Mint Breath mint.
Painting or Photograph Photograph. I have a really beautiful one of Alex on my bedside table.
Spring or Fall Spring, because fall is all about football, and I’m sick of it.
Past or Future Future. I’m trying to forget my past. I wish it would stop following me around. Black or Red Red
Uncertain theory or Absolute fact Absolute fact. And it’s an absolute fact that something is going on between Alex and Zack. I know it.
Donald or Daffy Donald. The dude doesn’t take any crap from anyone and I gotta respect that.
Work is continuing at the ancient ruins of Ani, a 5,000-year-old Armenian city located on the Turkish-Armenian border in the eastern province of Kars, with an eye on including the site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.Restorations will continue this year at the ancient site of Ani, on Turkey’s border with Armenia, where new artifacts are continuing to come to light [Credit: AA]
Work has been continuing at Ani, which has been home to many civilizations throughout history and is today a major draw for tourists in the area, with the support of Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry.
Ani is located 40 kilometers from the city of Kars, where tourists usually base themselves during trips to visit the remote site.
Local Culture and Tourism Director Hakan Doğanay said salvage excavations in Ani would be headed this year by Pamukkale University Classical Archaeology Department Professor Fahriye Bayram.
Doğanay said projects regarding the restoration of the ancient city’s walls have now been finished, with an eye to including Ani on the UNESCO’s heritage list.
“[Ani] may enter the UNESCO list during the meeting to be held in Oslo in 2016. We predict that 2015-2016 will be the years of Kars and the ancient ruins of Ani. The Culture and Tourism Ministry has provided us with great support on this issue,” he said.
“We will also bring over 21 new artifacts from various cultures, making the best use of cultural heritage in our region,” Doğanay added. “Ani is a treasure for us that should be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.”
Ani, which occupies 78 hectares of land and is surrounded by 4,500-meter-long ramparts, was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present-day Armenia and eastern Turkey.
Ani is protected on its eastern side by a ravine formed by the Akhurian River and on its western side by the Bostanlar or Tzaghkotzadzor Balley. The Akhurian is a branch of the Aras River and forms part of the current border between Turkey and Armenia.
Dubbed the “City of 1,001 Churches,” Ani stood on various trade routes, and its many religious buildings, palaces, and fortifications were among the most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world at the time, according to specialists.
The remains of an ancient city have been put up for sale in Turkey, it's reported. Bargylia, which dates back to the fifth century BC, is on the north of the Bodrum peninsula, a popular holiday spot. It's being advertised by a real estate agency just like a holiday home, although the site is protected from building work, the BirGun news website reports.Bargylia dates back to the 5th century B.C. and is located near Güllük Bay on the northern coast of the Bodrum peninsula [Credit: Hurriyet]
The advert describes "a first degree archaeological site, facing the Bird Heaven Lake near Bogazici village, with full sea and lake view". Prospective buyers will need deep pockets - it's on the market for 22m Turkish liras ($9.6m; £6.3m). But those willing to splash out could find all sorts of treasures beneath the unexcavated ground. It's thought the site includes the remains of an amphitheatre, temple and Byzantine-era necropolis.
Archaeologists want the site and others like it to be bought by the government, to ensure they're properly looked after, but say the funding isn't available.
"Private ownership of those sites is obstructing archaeological work," says Binnur Celebi from the Archaeologists Association.
"However, the person or persons who acquire those sites can absolutely not conduct any construction activities."
The site even comes with a bit of Greek mythology. It's said that the mythical hero Bellerophon named it after his friend Bargylos, who died after being kicked by the winged horse Pegasus.
The ancient city of Ephesus in western Turkey is expected to enter the UNESCO World Heritage List this year, after 22 years of efforts.
The ancient city of Ephesus, one of the sites in Turkey that attracts the most tourist income, is expected to enter UNESCO’s permanent list this year [Credit: Dick Osseman]
Dating back to the 6th century B.C., Ephesus hosts around 2 million local and international tourists every year. Although it has been added to the UNESCO tentative list, along with 37 other sites in Turkey, it has failed to be included in the main list so far.
Selçuk Mayor Zeynel Bakıcı said his district was blessed thanks to its history, culture, nature, as well as many archaeological sites.
Bakıcı added that it was a "great deficiency" that the ancient city had not been on the UNESCO list up to now but said his team "believed the problem will be solved this year."
The first submission to UNESCO was made in 1994 but was rejected in 2000 and failed to later get results.
“It was a great deficiency that Ephesus is not on this list. But we know where this deficiency comes from. This is why we are now collectively working with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, municipality, museum and the excavation team, as well as with academics. Now all the changes and rearrangements that UNESCO had asked for have been done," Bakıcı said.
"We have finished the reconstruction plan for protection and the land management plan has been approved. Unless something very important goes wrong, the ancient city of Ephesus will become a part of the UNESCO World Heritage permanent list. The 22-year-old dream of Ephesus will come true in June,” he added.
Selçuk is home to the 8,500-year-old ancient city of Ephesus, as well as one of the seven wonders of the world, the Temple of Artemis; the Virgin Mary House; the Church of Saint John, and Şirince village.
Every month Aths and I are reading one eco-centered book for our feature Leif Reads. To find out more about this feature visit the about page.
Last week I talked about Bill McKibben and his climate change organization 350.org. This week Aths is taking on a big question, which is, "What exactly is climate change?" She specifically talks about melting of the ice in the Antarctic and the gradual disappearance of islands that are below sea level. These are just two manifestations of global warming in our world, but they are by no means the only ones. Head over to Reading on a Rainy Day to read Aths's beautiful and informative post. If you've enjoyed our posts so far you might want to read Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet
for yourself. It's a great book to learn the basics of climate change and what it means.
350.org had a great post recently called 2010: Year in Review. 2010 was a big year for the environment, we had some good times, and some definite bad ones. BP oil spill anyone? This post focuses on the way people banded together during all of these times and it will truly make you glad to see that people are making a difference in the environment around the world.
Over 7,000 people promoting clean energy in Istanbul, Turkey. Just one example of the way people are banding together around the world.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.
I'm SO sorry! This was supposed to post on Friday, but apparently blogger's scheduling has failed me.: ( So, a few days late, here is a fun This or That questionnaire with the author of My Beating Teenage Heart (among with several others).
Spring or Fall
Spring because it means there are months and months of warm weather ahead of me whereas during fall I find it impossible forget winter’s right around the corner. My absolute favourite month is May.
Past or Future
Past. Not that I prefer it because who can say what the future will bring but I do tend to get very nostalgic about certain periods in my past, especially my years in Dublin in the 90s.
Marvel or DC Comics
I read more graphic novels than comic books and am a bigger fan of Drawn and Quarterly, Slave Labor and Fantagraphics than either Marvel or DC.
Legos or Lincoln Logs
We always had Lego at my house growing up so I have to go with them. I wasn’t sure what Lincoln logs were and Googled them and they look really cool too. I don’t know why I never had any of those!
Detailed planning or spontaneous decisions
Detailed planning, for sure. You should see all the research print-outs I amass when going on holiday.
Turkey or Ham
Turkey. I could practically have it every day for a week without getting tired of it. I don’t like ham but crispy bacon is yummy.
Sweet or Salty
Salty. I’m a potato chip fiend. I discovered Pop chips not long ago (they pop their chips rather than frying them so they’re healthier) and they’re amazing. When I was young I sometimes used to eat Oxo (bouillon) cubes on their own because I was crazy for the salt. Kinda gross, I know.
Ocean or Mountains
Ideally both like in Vancouver but if I had to choose I love being near the water so have to vote for ocean.
Hardcover or Paperback
Paperbacks because they’re lighter and more portable, though I’m not a fan of e-books (which are the ultimate in portability). I prefer reading a physical copy of a book, even if it’s one I borrowed from the library.
Truth or Dare
Truth, because I’m a chicken!
M&Ms — Peanut or Peanut Butter
Peanut butter. And now I’m craving some!
A one room library or Books in every room in your house
Ideally I’d prefer a library but since our apartment is small right now it’s more like books in every room.
Gum or Breath Mint
When I’m over in Ireland or England I go mental for spearmint Polo mints but normally I prefer a long lasting gum like Excel sweet mint.
Painting or Photograph
I like both a lot but I’m better at taking photos, when it comes to painting I’m purely a spectator.
Uncertain theory or Absolute fact
The detailed planner in me is drawn to absolute fact but my curious mind is pulled in the direction of uncertain theory. Ultimately curiosity wins here, I’m going with uncertain theory.
Thank you SO much for stopping by today! I seriously love your answers!:) PB M&Ms ftw dude, FTW!!
The trade in antiquities is one of Islamic State's main sources of funding, along with oil and kidnapping. For this reason the UN Security Council last week banned all trade in artefacts from Syria, accusing IS militants of looting cultural heritage to strengthen its ability "to organise and carry out terrorist attacks".The gold-plated bronze figurine (photo D Osseman) was stolen from the museum in Hama, western Syria [Credit: BBC]
The BBC has been investigating the trade, and the routes from Syria through Turkey and Lebanon to Europe.
The Smuggler
It has taken many calls and a lot of coaxing to get a man we are calling "Mohammed" to meet us. He is originally from Damascus but now plies his trade in the Bekaa valley on the border between Syria and Lebanon. He's 21 but looks much younger in his T-shirt, skinny jeans and black suede shoes. As we sit in an apartment in central Beirut I have to lean forward to hear the softly spoken young man describe how he began smuggling looted antiquities from Syria. "There's three friends in Aleppo we deal with, these people move from Aleppo all the way to the border here and pay a taxi driver to sneak it in." He specialised in smaller items which would be easier to move on - but he says even that has become too risky. "We tried our best to get the items which had most value, earrings, rings, small statues, stone heads," he says.
He made a good profit but bigger players with better connections "sold pieces worth $500,000, some for $1m", he says. When I ask who's making the money and controlling the trade in Syria his gentle voice takes on a flinty tone: "IS are the main people doing it. They are the ones in control of this business, they stole from the museums especially in Aleppo," he says. "I know for a fact these militants had connections overseas and they talked ahead of time and they shipped overseas using their connections abroad." Mohammed is still involved in cross-border trade, but no longer in antiquities. "Anyone caught with it gets severe punishment," he says. "They accuse you of being IS."
The Go-between
To sell looted antiquities you need a middle-man, like "Ahmed". Originally from eastern Syria, he is based in a town in southern Turkey - he doesn't want me to specify which one as he doesn't want the police to know. As a Turkish-speaker he is popular with Syrian smugglers, who ask if he can move goods on to local dealers. When I speak to him via Skype he shows me a blanket next to him filled with artefacts - statues of animals and human figures, glasses, vases and coins. They were dug up in the last few months. "They come from the east of Syria, from Raqqa, all the areas controlled by ISIS (Islamic State)," he says. Islamic State plays an active part in controlling the trade, he tells me. Anyone wanting to excavate has to get permission from IS inspectors, who monitor the finds and destroy any human figures, which are seen as idolatrous (those Ahmed is showing me have slipped through the net). IS takes 20% as tax. "They tax everything," he says.
The main trade is in stoneworks, statues and gold, and it can be extremely lucrative. "I have seen one piece sold for $1.1m," he says. "It was a piece from the year 8500BC." He gently handles each artefact as he brings it closer to the webcam to give me a better view. He has had to pay a sizeable bond to the smugglers to get this material and he doesn't want to lose any of it. The final destination is Western Europe, he says. "Turkish merchants sell it to dealers in Europe. They call them, send pictures... people from Europe come to check the goods and take them away." Ahmed will have to return the looted artefacts to his Syrian contacts, as I am clearly not buying them, but he won't be returning to his homeland. "If I went back I'd be killed," he says.
A statue from Palmyra [Credit: APSA]
The Dealer
It's an unremarkable tourist shop in the centre of Beirut. Inside the glass cases are ancient oil lamps, rings and glassware but the shop owner, a laconic man in his late 40s, has an unusual selling tactic - he says much of it is fake. However, he assures me he does have genuine pieces from the Hellenic and Byzantine periods, around 1,000 years old. I'm interested what other items he can get, mosaics for example? I had been advised by archaeologists that mosaics would almost certainly be looted - at the moment, that would mean most likely from Syria. He asks which kind I want. Faces, animals, geometric designs? "If you're serious we can have a serious negotiation... there is always a way," he promises. When I ask if it's legal he smiles as he tells me the only way to legally ship these items is with official documentation from a museum saying they have been cleared for export.
If it was only a small mosaic I wanted, I could take the chance and try to smuggle it out myself but he warns it's a serious decision, as I could get caught. For a fee he can have them shipped to the UK but it will cost me many thousands of pounds. We shake hands as I leave and he gives me his business card. It has only taken 10 minutes to be offered illicit antiquities. Arthur Brand, an investigator who helps recover stolen antiquities isn't surprised, it chimes with his experience in Lebanon. "I've been there several times and at times and it really is amazing," he tells me from his base in Amsterdam. "The illicit trade is run as a professional business with offices and business cards and you can buy antiquities from Lebanon, but also from countries like Syria, Iraq." The link between smugglers and dealers is the dirty secret the art world doesn't want to admit to, he says.
The Cop
He could easily pass for the star of an Arabic cop show but Lt Col Nicholas Saad is a real policeman, head of Lebanon's bureau of international theft. In his office, filled with certificates from the FBI and Scotland Yard, he shows me photos of huge Roman busts seized in a recent raid in Lebanon. We go up to the roof of his police station, where out to the east, beyond the mountains, is the border with Syria. This is where refugees pour into the country and are exploited by the smuggling gangs.
"The refugees come in big numbers and the gangs put things between the belongings of the refugees," he explains. Since the conflict in Syria he has noticed a significant increase in the smuggling of looted artefacts, "especially from the Islamic parts, Raqqa (the base) of the Islamic State", he adds. His team has seized hundreds of Syrian artefacts. "We have the archaeology expert that said they're very valuable from the Roman period, from the Greek period, years before Christ," he says. But there isn't a market for them in Lebanon. "Lebanon is a transit station, it's one of the the doors that goes to Europe. The real money is made in Europe."
The Treasure
Inside the Beirut National museum are treasures from the cradle of civilisation - Hellenic, Roman and Byzantine statues, busts and sarcophagi 3,000 years old. Hidden away from the public in a store room below the main galleries, seized looted antiquities wait to be returned to Syria. My guide is Dr Assaad Seif, an archaeologist and head of excavations at the directorate general of antiquities in Beirut. He rings a bell and a wrought iron door is unlocked. Inside are scores of items - pottery, stonework - but the most valuable items are sealed away in a warehouse. "We have huge funeral sculptures, representing men and women used to seal the tombs, from Palmyra," he says.
Most of the seized items are from excavations rather than thefts from museums. The looters target warehouses at ancient sites like Palmyra, a Unesco world heritage site. "The warehouses at archaeological sites have objects they know are not listed or catalogued yet, and they think it could be easier to sell them," he says. "The Palmyra objects had value for people in Syria... it gives a kind of identity," he says. Although reluctant to put a price on any of the bigger items, after some coaxing he relents. "We have a dozen objects that would sell for $1m each on the open market." I understand why they keep them out of sight of curious foreign visitors.
The Destination
It has taken days to get through to Dr Maamoun Abdulkarim, the archaeologist in charge of Syria's dept of antiquities in Damascus. When I do reach him, he's angry. "The sites under the control of ISIS, in these areas we have a disaster, a lot of problems. IS attack all things just for the money," he says. "It is our memory, our identity, for the government, the opposition, for all Syria." It's impossible to stop the looting but he is adamant more could be done to crack down on the trade. "We are sure through all the sources a lot of objects go from Syria to Europe, in Switzerland, in Germany, in UK - and Gulf countries like Dubai and Qatar," he says.
It was a common refrain. Everyone from the Lebanese police to Mohammed the smuggler and Ahmed the go-between said the main market was Europe. In the UK there have been no prosecutions or arrests for selling looted Syrian artefacts but Vernon Rapley, who ran the Metropolitan Police's art and antiquities squad for almost a decade, says too much shouldn't be read into this. "I'm quite confident that there have been seizures of material like this," he confidently states, as we stroll around his new workplace, the Victoria and Albert museum, where he is director of security.
Rapley still liaises closely with his former police unit and he is certain that artefacts from Syria are being sold here. He wants the trade in these antiquities to become "socially repugnant and unacceptable" so that in the future, he says, "we don't have interior decorators looking for these things to decorate people's houses".
Author: Simon Cox | Source: BBC News Website [February 17, 2015]
In Turkey's northern province of Tokat’s Sulusaray district, a settlement of 3,500 people located on top of the ancient city of Sebastopolis, is set to be moved to another location so that the site can come to light.
Ruins at Sebastopolis [Credit: AA]
Sulusaray Mayor Halil Demirkol said the ancient city, which has been home to three civilizations, was located in the center of the district.
“After 22 years, excavations started in the ancient city in 2013. This year, 10 houses will be expropriated. Excavation works will continue this year, too. We are waiting for additional funds from the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The Special Provincial District is also supporting the works, too,” Demirkol said.
“The district is located on the site of the ancient city. We want to move it to an area of 500,000 square meters at the entrance of the district. The area has been allocated to Turkey’s Housing Development Administration (TOKİ). People will move to the houses to be built by TOKİ. Their current houses should be immediately expropriated to unearth the historic city beneath. But since the expropriation is a slow and expensive process, we plan to move the settlement to another place,” the mayor said.
Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Abdurrahman Akyüz said the ancient city was very important to Tokat.
“Excavation work was carried out here in the 1990s but it stopped for some reasons. After a 22-year hiatus, excavations started again three years ago and are continuing with the collaboration of Gaziosmanpaşa University, the museum directorate, the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Special Provincial Directorate. This is a long-term work. It may take 30-40 years to unearth the ancient city,” Akyüz said.
“Our governor, Cevdet Can, attaches great importance to Sebastopolis. The Prince of Wales, [Charles], visited here in the 1990s. Can sent an invitation letter to him to come to Tokat. This place could become an Ephesus or larger than it,” Akyüz said, referring to the site in İzmir that draws large numbers of tourists every year to its massive theater and library.
“It is believed that it was a rich city because hot springs were located near the places of rich people in the past. There is a hot spring around here. The district should be completely moved from here, and the area should be turned into an excavation site,” he said.
Ancient city of Sebastopolis
The ancient city of Sebastopolis was established in the 1st century B.C. The city was included in the Cappadocia region after being separated from the Pontus Galatius and Polemoniacus states at the time of the Roman Emperor Trajan between 98 and 117 A.D. It was known as one of the five largest cities in the Black Sea region 2,000 years ago because it was located on passageways and because of its thermal sources, which are still being used today.
As an indicator of its wealth at the time of the Roman Empire, Sebastopolis had the authority to print money. Scholars believe that the city lost its importance and was forgotten over time, largely due to big wars, destruction, disasters and changes to passageways.
Today I have Emily Wing Smith visiting the blog! She's the author of the recently released, Back When You Were Easier to Love and she's going to be sharing with us her this or that choices! I really enjoyed a lot of her answers! I'm really curious about that dare now!:)
Spring or Fall: As long as I’m armed with Claritin-D, fall wins for its perfect temps and gorgeous scenery. Oh, and my fall birthday!
Past or Future: The past is real. The future isn’t.
Marvel or DC Comics:Marvel was the studio behind my fave 80s cartoon JEM.
Legos or Lincoln Logs:Growing up, my brother had Legos pretty much everywhere pretty much all the time. I used to step on Legos galore--in bare feet! Ouch. But I have a soft spot for them. Thanks, Andy!
Detailed planning or spontaneous decisions:I consider myself detail-oriented, but much of what I do is on a whim. Turkey or Ham:Wednesday is $5 Turkey footlong at my local Subway.
Sweet or Salty:Both. My total comfort food: M&Ms/chocolate Teddy Grahams paired with pretzels or salt and vinegar chips.
Ocean or Mountains:Ocean, though ironically, I live in the mountains!
Hardcover or Paperback:Paperbacks are cheaper so I can by more of them for the same amount of money. On a non-cheapskate note, they also take up less shelf space!
Truth or Dare:I tend to over-share. Besides, the one time I chose Dare it got me into a very uncomfortable situation.
M&Ms — Peanut or Peanut Butter:Um, solid chocolate, YO. Plain for the win.
A one room library or Books in every room in your house: Books in every room in your house.Gum or Breath Mint:Gum, although I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, so breath mints would be a better choice, wouldn’t they?
Painting or PhotographPhotography. Looking at it, not taking it. Uncertain theory or Absolute fact:Hmm…I believe in certain absolute truths, but other things are up for debate.Thank you so much Emily for joining us today! And readers, be on the lookout for my review of Back When You Were Easier to Love! It'll be up in about two weeks!:)
A large number of historical artifacts, including the head of a 2,000-year-old Hermes statue, have been seized during an operation by the Sivas Police Department Directorate of Anti-smuggling and Organized Crime Branch.The head of Hermes was seized after a three-month operation [Credit: DHA]
Following three months of preparation, the police department simultaneously raided various addresses in villages and districts of the Central Anatolian province of Sivas, as well as in Nevşehir, Adıyaman and Kayseri on Jan. 13, and discovered historical artifacts.
A sculpted head in the image of the ancient Greek god Hermes was among the artifacts seized in Sivas. It has been claimed that the head had found a buyer for $1 million three years ago, who then attempted to smuggle it abroad, but operations at the time failed to find the head.
Cumhuriyet University academics have confirmed that the head of Hermes was the original one, but further examinations would be conducted in the coming days.
Along with the head of Hermes, three rings, a plate, 23 coins, six Ottoman-language books, a metal ashtray, two column pieces and four stones inscribed with various motifs were also among the findings during the operation.
A court convened at the British Museum on Monday for the first time to enable a judge to inspect a £2million sculpture looted from Libya.The marble statue is said to have been illegally dug up in Cyrene [Credit: National News]
The "unique" four foot marble statue is said to have been illegally dug up in Cyrene, a UNESCO world heritage site, before being smuggled to the UK in 2011, via Dubai.
It was uncovered in a west London warehouse by customs officials two years later and handed to the British Museum pending a court's decision over ownership.
District Judge John Zani, who is overseeing the case at Westminster Magistrates Court, was given a detailed analysis of the sculpture during a two hour viewing at the museum.
Accompanied by barristers, solicitors and his legal adviser, the judge carefully examined the statue as he was told stains and other evidence demonstrated that it was “definitely” excavated illegally from the ancient Greek colony of Cyrene.
The statue, which depicts a Greek woman wearing a hood and flowing gown, is said to be unparalleled besides a single comparable example in the Louvre. The woman wears two snake-like bracelets and carries a doll.
It hails from the third centuries BC, when it served as a grave marker.
Authorities in Tripoli have already launched a bid to repatriate the work of art.
A British Museum spokesperson said that as far as they were aware it was the first time a court had convened on the premises.
Jordanian, Riad Al Qassas, who does not reside in the UK, is accused of falsifying paperwork after telling customs that the sculpture came from Turkey, rather than Libya, and was worth £60,000, rather than between £1.5m to £2m.
He denies one count of knowingly or recklessly delivering a false document to HMRC on November 1 last year.
Dr Peter Higgs, curator of Greek sculpture at the British Museum, told District Judge Zani the statue looked “fresh” and had been excavated “fairly recently”.
Highlighting earth stains and marks from vegetation, he pointed to “small pickaxe” marks as the judge circled the statue, studying it closely in a tiny store-room.
A video of the viewing was later played in court.
Dr Higgs said: “The statue is a three-quarter length figure. It is a funerary statue that I believe comes from the region of Cyrenaica, in Libya, which was a Greek colony.
“The statue is thought to represent either Persephone, the goddess of the underworld...or it is meant to be someone who is dedicated to the goddess. I believe it is very unlikely to come from Turkey.”
Dr Higgs said the statue was one of a kind, adding that it was in “the top ten” of its class.
“I believe that the statue was definitely made in Libya, in Cyrenaica,” he added.
“I believe, as I said, it is one of the best examples of its type and is extremely rare.”
Andrew Bird, for HMRC, has told the court that documents suggest Al Qassas had only a marginal role in the export.
He claimed Hassan Fazeli, a Dubai businessman who has claimed the sculpture has belonged to his family collection since 1977, was behind the crime.
Mr Bird said the false documents were submitted by Hassan Fazeli Trading Company LLC, which is based in Dubai, and which was last year accused by New York prosecutors of illegally bringing five ancient Egypt artefacts into the USA.
Ben Watson, representing Al Qassas, indicated his client would be happy to hand over the sculpture to Libya if it was shown to originate from there.
Libya has been plagued by looting and cultural vandalism since the fall of Colonel Gadaffi in 2011, with the resulting power vacuum effectively ending the state-sponsored preservation of Libya's multiple Greek and Roman sites.
The expansion of Islamic State fanatics into North Africa has stoked fears that unique sites will be destroyed, mirroring shocking images from the IS-controlled city of Mosul in Iraq.
A British Museum spokesperson said that as far as they were aware it was the first time a court had convened on its premises.
Author: Victoria Ward | Source: The Telegraph [March 31, 2015]
A court in Belgium has ruled that the country’s authorities restitute nine boxes of smuggled ancient Iranian artifacts along with a bronze pin stolen from an exhibition.This file photo shows 2,700-year-old Persian silver drinking cup Shir Dal [Credit: PressTV]
An informed source at the Center of International Legal Affairs in Iran’s Presidential Office said on Tuesday that an appellate court in Belgium’s eastern city of Liège, situated nearly 90 kilometers (55 miles) southeast of the capital, Brussels, has passed the final verdict in favor of the restitution of the Iranian heritage, IRNA reported.
The source, whose name was not revealed, praised efforts made by Iranian legal experts and officials at Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handcraft and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) for following up on the case.
The contents of the nine boxes were looted over the past years from a 3000-year-old ancient site near the village of Khorvin, situated 80 kilometers (49 miles) northeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Following Iran's demand, the Brussels court ordered the seizure of the pieces and their preservation at the Museum of Brussels University, pending a final verdict.
Since the boxes contained metal items that might have oxidized over time, Iranian officials asked Belgian officials to open the boxes in the presence of ICHTO representatives. The boxes were resealed after experts examined the contents.
The ancient pin was stolen in December 2002 from the European tour of “7000 Years of Persian Art” during its run at St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent.
Iranian officials have filed several other lawsuits in courts in Britain, France, Turkey, and Pakistan for the return of smuggled artifacts over the past years.
Hey everyone! Help me welcome Sarah Raymond, author of Signs of Martha to the blog today! She's helping share some This or That questions from John, one of the characters from her book! I liked John a lot — He's real down to earth, just a solid, steady guy. Let's see what he thinks about-
Spring or Fall Spring is planting time, when the new year is dawning and you haven’t started worrying yet about the price of corn.
Past or Future The past is over and done with and there isn’t a darn thing you can do about it. Look to the future or you’ll end up in the gutter of regret. It’s the truth.
Marvel or DC Comics Neither, as I don’t have time for comic books. On a rare holiday I might read a science fiction novel.
Legos or Lincoln Logs Lincoln Logs. Call me old-fashioned.
Detailed planning or spontaneous decisions If you want to get somewhere in life, I’m afraid you have some detailed planning to do.
Turkey or Ham I’ll take either, or whichever there’s more of.
Sweet or Salty Sweet. In life, I mean. You need a little sweetness, but not too much or your teeth and your attitude will erode down to sorry pits.
Ocean or Mountains Mountains, absolutely. They’re like the future. You have to look up.
Hardcover or Paperback Hardcover. What I buy, I keep, and hardcover books are for keeps.
Truth or Dare Truth and nothing but the truth.
M&Ms — Peanut or Peanut Butter What kind of question is that? I’m still thinking about scaling mountains and about truth.
A one room library or Books in every room in your house. A one-room library. Everything in its place.
Gum or Breath Mint Breath mints keep me fresh.
Painting or Photograph Photographs, I believe, are more dependable.
Uncertain theory or Absolute fact Fact. Absolutely.
Thanks so much for stopping by to share with us! And I still maintain that the M&Ms question is totally legit! Who doesn't love M&Ms?!: P
Are we really halfway done already? That seems so hard to believe. In the last four hours I finally got some solid reading done, and it looks like I will finish my book in the next hour. Finally!
Pages Read:216 Books Read: 0 Money raised for Trevor Project: $9.57 Food consumed: Omelette, hashbrowns, orange, and toast (my mom made me breakfast). Pudding and gummy worms. Turkey club sandwich. Time spent reading: 5 hours
This time around I did the audiobook mini-challenge and I'm posting the mid-event survey.
Mid-Event Survey: 1. What are you reading right now? I'm finishing up Splendor by Anna Godbersen. 2. How many books have you read so far? Almost finished one. 3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? After listening to the audiobook sample of The Book Thief I am really excited to read it! 4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? No. 5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? I've had interruptions for eating mostly, but I've taken them in stride. After several readathons you realize that there is no way you'll get through it without interruptions.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? I'm surprised by how hungry I've been, I think I've ate more during this readathon than any other. 7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? More "active" mini-challenges that get you up moving for awhile. 8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? I would probably start with a shorter book first, although I knew that going into this. 9. Are you getting tired yet? No chance! 10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Don't be afraid to take a mini nap in the middle of that day, it helps keep you going into the wee hours.
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Video footage, coincidentally found by a Turkish collector in a German flea market, which shows excavations on Mount Nemrut in 1965, as well as the life of locals in the region, has revealed a big scandal. The sculpted head of the King of Commagene, King Antiochus, which is now at the Gaziantep Zeugma Museum, was seized while being smuggled abroad by a German.
The footage, shot by German traveler Dr. Lothar Carlowitz, show the Nemrut ruins and excavations at the ancient city of Arsemia in the eastern province of Adıyaman. It is seen in the footage when the sculpture of Antiochus was discovered underground for the first time. The sculpture was cleaned and covered with a piece of cloth.
After the footage was publicly seen, Archaeology and Arts magazine editor Nezih Başgelen said he had used the sculpted head in a book that he had prepared. The footage shows the airfoil of a Turkish Airlines plane. The plane was included in the fleet on Nov. 18, 1946, and was out of the fleet by 1966, implying that the footage was shot sometime before 1966.
German professor Karl Dörner was the first one who went to Arsemia, where the sculpture was found, in 1953, and the footage shows his excavations, so it is definite that the footage dates back to between 1953 and 1966. He worked there until 1986 and released a book about these excavations in 1987, but the head is not mentioned in his book.
File of the sculpture lost in the museum
Under the light of this information, we followed the traces of the sculpture to the Gaziantep Zeugma Museum. Museum officials told us they did not know how the sculpture had come to the museum and it was first registered in their inventory in 1995. The file on the sculpture was lost and could not be found in the museum archive.
Former directors of the museum said the sculpture’s head was seized in 1980s in the Gaziantep airport while being smuggled abroad by a German citizen and delivered to the museum by the police. But no one knows about this German citizen or the court process because the file is lost.
Now there are many questions to be answered: Where had this sculpture been kept for all these years? Who was this German in the Gaziantep airport? Was he in relations with the excavation team? Was it just a coincidence that German professor Dörner left Turkey after the sculpture was found? Was it normal that he did not mention such a significant piece of artwork in his book? Who destroyed or lost the file in the museum? Is there any connection between Carlowitz, who shot the footage, and those who seized the sculpture?
According to the Assyrian website www.ankawa.com, ISIS is planning to destroy the walls of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire and one of the most important archaeological sites in Iraq. Nineveh was sacked in 612 B.C. when the Assyrian Empire was overthrown.
The remains of the walls of Nineveh in north Iraq [Credit: AINA News]
Residents of the Bab Nergal area of Mosul said ISIS has informed them that it will blow up the walls of Nineveh with the start of operations to liberate Mosul by the Iraqi army.
In the last month ISIS has seized the content of the cultural museum in Mosul as well as destroyed Assyrian monuments in the city, which ISIS claims "distort Islam."
Assyrians are the the only indigenous people of Iraq, going back to 4750 B.C. In 2003, just before the U.S. invasion, there were 1.5 million Assyrians living in Iraq. Today there are about 500,000 remaining. A sustained, low grade genocide (report) perpetrated by Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds drove hundreds of thousands of Assyrians into exile in Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.
On August 7 of 2014, ISIS moved into the Nineveh Plain, the last stronghold of Assyrians in Iraq, forcing nearly 200,000 Assyrians to flee their homes and villages, where they now live as refugees in the Dohuk and Arbel areas.
Works have been initiated to start archaeological excavations in the northern province of Tokat’s Horoztepe mound, which has turned into a tobacco farm despite being declared a first-degree archaeological area.Tokat’s Horoztepe mound, which has turned into a tobacco plant over the years, is to host archaeological excavations once again after many years [Credit: DHA]
The mound, located in the eastern part of the Erbaa district and is claimed to be home to the Anatolian civilization of the Hatti between 2500 and 1700 B.C., has been covered with earth over time and become a hill with an altitude of 325 meters. The first excavations were carried out on the mound in 1940. Many artifacts from the Hittite and Phrygian eras have been unearthed during past excavations.
It was also reported that the region had characteristics of the best known Alacahöyük mound in the Central Anatolian province of Çorum, although work has since ceased in the area.
Tobacco field
The field of roughly three hectares, which was owned by Yusuf Şerbetçi, who died a few years ago, and was then bequeathed to his inheritors, was declared as a first-degree archaeological site in 1996. But because archaeological activity did not start, the owners rented the field to five families, upon which tobacco was planted in the field.
Following the news that tobacco was planted on the field, officials took action.
Frankfurt Goethe University Director of Archaeology Dirk Wicke has come to the region with the invitation of the Erbaa Municipality and examined the mound. Examining the reports of the drilling works in Horoztepe, Wicke said they had found traces of the existence of three different civilizations in the mound, and it would be cleared during the excavations, which will start in August with the permission of the Culture and Tourism Ministry.
The excavations are set to start in the necropolis (graveyard) area, owned by the Erbaa Municipality. After the Sivas Cultural Heritage Protection Board gives permission to the excavation, 40 graves will be unearthed before the excavations begin.
A long-term project
Erbaa Mayor Hüseyin Yıldırım said Horoztepe was very important for the district, and continued:
“As a result of the drilling works, the archaeological site, which was about three hectares, was increased to roughly nine hectares by the Sivas Cultural Heritage Protection Board. We wanted to unearth this area and started looking for an expert, but failed to find an expert to work here. We had two choices to make this happen; either with Turkish experts via the Culture and Tourism Ministry or with the museum. But since the museum does not have personnel for this work, we applied to foreign countries.”
Until retirement
Yıldırım said at the end, they invited Wicke to Turkey. “He came to Erbaa and examined the area. ‘Once I start excavations here, I will continue until retirement,’ he said. This will be a long-term project. We have finished our file on Horoztepe and delivered it to the ministry. We will receive permission around April.
Excavations will start in the necropolis first. We hope that it will be heard about all around the world,” the mayor said.
Artifacts unearthed during the first excavations in Horoztepe are today on display at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.
The Islamic State group released a video on Thursday showing militants using sledgehammers to smash ancient artifacts in Iraq's northern city of Mosul, describing the relics as idols that must be removed.In this image made from video posted on a social media account affiliated with the Islamic State group, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, a militant uses a power tool to destroy a winged-bull Assyrian protective deity at the Ninevah Museum in Mosul, Iraq [Credit: AP]
The destructions are part of a campaign by the IS extremists who have destroyed a number of shrines — including Muslim holy sites — in order to eliminate what they view as heresy. They are also believed to have sold ancient artifacts on the black market in order to finance their bloody campaign across the region.
The five-minute video shows a group of bearded men inside the Mosul Museum using hammers and drills to destroy several large statues, which are then shown chipped and in pieces. The video then shows a black-clad man at a nearby archaeological site inside Mosul, drilling through and destroying a winged-bull Assyrian protective deity that dates back to the 7th century B.C.
The video was posted on social media accounts affiliated with the Islamic State group and though it could not be independently verified it appeared authentic, based on AP's knowledge of the Mosul Museum.
Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the surrounding Nineveh province fell to the militants during their blitz last June after Iraqi security forces melted away.
In their push, the extremists captured large swaths of land in both Iraq and neighboring Syria, declared a self-styled caliphate on territories that are under their control, killing members of religious minorities, driving others from their homes, enslaving women and destroying houses of worship.
The region under IS control in Iraq has nearly 1,800 of Iraq's 12,000 registered archaeological sites and the militants appear to be out to cleanse it of any non-Islamic ideas, including library books, archaeological relics, and even Islamic sites considered idolatrous.
"Oh Muslims, these artifacts that are behind me were idols and gods worshipped by people who lived centuries ago instead of Allah," a bearded man tells the camera as he stands in front of the partially demolished winged-bull.
"The so-called Assyrians and Akkadians and others looked to gods for war, agriculture and rain to whom they offered sacrifices," he added, referring to groups that that left their mark on Mesopotamia for more than 5,000 years in what is now Iraq, eastern Syria and southern Turkey.
Militants used sledgehammers and drills to smash the statues [Credit: AP]
"Our prophet ordered us to remove all these statues as his followers did when they conquered nations," the man in the video adds. The video bore the logo of the IS group's media arm and was posted on a Twitter account used by the group.
A professor at the Archaeology College in Mosul confirmed to the Associated Press that the two sites depicted in the video are the city museum and a site known as Nirgal Gate, one of several gates to the capital of the Assyrian Empire, Ninevah.
"I'm totally shocked," Amir al-Jumaili told the AP over the phone from outside of Mosul. "It's a catastrophe. With the destruction of these artifacts, we can no longer be proud of Mosul's civilization."
He said that very few of the museum pieces are not genuine.
In this image made from video posted on a social media account affiliated with the Islamic State group, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, militants attack ancient artifacts with sledgehammers in the Ninevah Museum in Mosul, Iraq [Credit: AP]
Among the most important sites under the militants' control are four ancient cities — Ninevah, Kalhu, Dur Sharrukin and Ashur — which were at different times the capital of the mighty Assyrian Empire.
The Assyrians first arose around 2500 B.C. and at one point ruled over a realm stretching from the Mediterranean coast to what is present-day Iran. Also in danger is the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hatra, which is thought to have been built in the 3rd or 2nd century B.C. by the Seleucid Empire. It flourished during the 1st and 2nd centuries as a religious and trading center.
The damage to Iraqi artifacts in Mosul is the latest episode in that has targeted the nation's heritage.
In January, Islamic State militants ransacked the Central Library of Mosul, smashing the locks and taking around 2,000 books — leaving only Islamic texts. Days later, militants broke into University of Mosul's library. They made a bonfire out of hundreds of books on science and culture, destroying them in front of students.
The day after Baghdad fell to U.S. troops in April 2003, looters burst into the Iraqi National Museum in the Iraqi capital, making off with scores of priceless artifacts and leaving the floor littered with shattered pottery. The U.S. was widely criticized at the time for failing to protect the site.
Author: Sinan Salaheddin | Source: The Associated Press [February 26, 2015]
Workers at Syria s National Museum of Damascus carefully wrap statues and place them in boxes to be transported to a safe place, hoping to save the priceless pieces from theft or destruction.Some of the 700 Iraqi antiquities which have been in the care of Syria authorities are displayed at the National Syrian Museum in Damascus, on April 23, 2008 [Credit: AFP/Louai Beshara]
Since his 2012 appointment as head of antiquities in the midst of Syria s civil war, Maamoun Abdulkarim says just one thing has been on his mind -- avoiding a repeat of the kind of looting that ravaged Iraq s heritage after the 2003 invasion.
"The images of the looting of the museum in Baghdad and other Iraqi sites are always on my mind, and I told myself that everything must be done to avoid a repeat of that here," he told AFP.
Widespread illegal excavation and the destruction of artefacts and religious sites by jihadists from the Islamic State (IS) group have only added to the sense of urgency.
Before the Syrian conflict began in 2011, Abdulkarim was co-director of a French-Syrian mission working excavating the 700 so-called Dead Cities of northern Syria, which date back to Roman and Byzantine times.
Members of the press look at some of the 700 Iraqi antiquities which have been in the care of Syria authorities at the National Syrian Museum in Damascus, on April 23, 2008 [Credit: AFP/Louai Beshara]
Syria has been the home of many civilisations over the millennia, from the Canaanites to the Ottomans, and is rich in both artistic and architectural treasures.
Since his appointment, Abdulkarim and his colleagues have worked to protect Syria s heritage from a conflict that has killed more than 215,000 people.
So far, they have wrapped and stored some 300,000 items and thousands of manuscripts in secret locations protected from fires, shelling and floods.
The pieces come from 34 museums, including 80,000 items from Damascus alone.
Perhaps the most dramatic rescue yet was from the eastern city of Deir Ezzor last August.
Coins are put on display, some of the 700 Iraqi antiquities which have been in the care of Syria authorities at the National Syrian Museum in Damascus, on April 23, 2008[Credit: AFP/Louai Beshara]
After Mosul in neighbouring Iraq fell to IS in June, and the destruction began there, a decision was taken to evacuate the 13,000 artefacts remaining in Deir Ezzor.
Large parts of the city were in IS hands, but the airport and some districts remained under government control.
Yaarub al-Abdullah, the former director of antiquities for Deir Ezzor, said: "I worked for a week with two colleagues to wrap everything. We put it into a truck that came under heavy machinegun fire.
"We put the boxes on a military plane among dead and injured soldiers. It was terrible, but we managed it," added Abdullah, who now heads the National Museum.
A book is put on display, one of the 700 Iraqi antiquities which have been in the care of Syria authorities at the National Syrian Museum in Damascus, on April 23, 2008 [Credit: AFP/Louai Beshara]
Back in Damascus, Abdulkarim followed the operation with trepidation.
"I didn t sleep for a week after I took the decision to evacuate the artefacts," he said.
"If the plane had crashed, I would have lost three friends and gone to prison for losing 13,000 items," he said, with a smile.
He said an estimated 99 percent of Syria s museum collections had been preserved, thanks to his 2,500 employees, including those in opposition-held areas.
"They feel that protecting our heritage is a question of honour, like defending the honour of their mothers," Abdulkarim said.
But their work has come with a price: around a dozen of them have been killed in the conflict, including five during the course of their work.
Despite their best efforts, Abdulkarim fears thousands of artefacts have already been stolen across the country.
Even worse is the damage that has been done to 300 sites and 445 historic buildings.
In some cases the damage came in fighting. In others, it has come from illegal excavation, even with bulldozers, in places like Mari, Doura Europos, Apamee and Ajaja in the northeast, the Yarmuk valley in southern Daraa, and Hamam near Raqa in the north.
Damascus Museum employees wrap archaeological artifacts into boxes to protect them from being damaged on March 24 in the Syrian capital [Credit: AFP/Joseph Eid]
Ayham al-Fakhry, 39, fled his post as director of antiquities in Raqa in 2012, and laments the irreversible losses to Syria s rich heritage.
"Not only do you have the barbarity of the IS jihadists who destroy any representation of humans and Muslim mausoleums, but also the greed of mafia groups coming from Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey to buy pieces found by local residents," he said.
"They pay IS 20 percent of the estimated value and then the mafias take the objects to be sold in Europe or the Gulf," he said.
Despite international action to prevent smuggling antiquities from Syria, Abdulkarim and his colleagues say sanctions on Damascus have left them isolated.
"We felt like we had the plague," he said."Can there be an embargo on heritage? It belongs to the whole world."
Damascus Museum employees wrap archaeological artifacts into boxes to protect them from being damaged on Tuesday in the Syrian capital [Credit: AFP/Joseph Eid]
Recently though, there have been signs of change, with invitations to Germany and France for directorate staff and an award in Venice for their work.
Abdulkarim urged the international community to rally around those in Syria trying to save their heritage.
"There must be a international mobilisation to save culture and civilisation. It s not just our responsibility, but a collective one," he said.
