The plundered past

An interesting account of the antiquities trade. A behind-the-scenes look at the illicit trade in antiquities and art. Somewhat dated, but still very interesting book. Also provides a look into the museum and art collector world of the 1960s and early 1970s.

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LibraryThing member Africansky1

Written in the early 1970s, so it is a little dated but nonetheless informative and well researched, The sub title is "the traffic iin art treasures ". Meyer was a journalist who specialized in archaeology. the style is that of careful but slightly sensationalizing investigative journalism . It is

about questionable museums policies in purchase, acquisitions and disposals of works of art and antiquities , where reputations are made on discovery, identification research and pronouncements about works of art. Money underpins risk in thefts , illicit transactions and international trade.... With a good many middlemen taking cuts before the specific artifact is lauded and displayed to the innocent but culture hungry museum goer. The message is be wary of anyone offering you antique treasures in local bazaars, markets and street corners or rushing at you as you emerge from a pyramid. It had happened to all of us who travel in search of archaeological sites and a deeper knowledge of the human condition. This work raises questions about why people are acquisitive and why collect and why societies have museums . It also gives a sense of the huge transfer of material wealth from old world and ancient civilization to America and the new world. Good photographs, detailed case studies, comprehensive bibliographies and detailed appendices make this an authoritative text for its time and one that despite the time span is still worth owing, The author is on less sure ground when proposing solutions . Sadly illegal and undercounted trade in artifacts still happens though today I wonder how many antiquities have been recently manufactured to supply human greed?

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