1
20
4
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/447187b4366f99502d578b3f1320c9b2.jpg?Expires=1792627200&Signature=YTx51t5%7EwOn%7EaiXLBXkD3NggZW2qayprZDln6cyNSNBjaHapzl1VDOpPRyQ-K93x8MNSONn3-Kgqj%7EY7mXehucz2Y2YC0esXut8rpYO92ne%7EyM9L13MmOEUyAzTDvdHEo6YolEQTmWJlvKDVrkaZizl3KfOXZA9c1u4b6wyROG7SygumsXpDP6dUsSzYZ7ddy4VQo0JjWpqYzXqcnhEscR3ctR85Mq3QeFo7D6DBl1QiGrwxR4hVuXVkDZgb2i5uPZjVe0WM130LCL0zf8Z7P4wGRl45qydysMBb0GNByUwaIVe61AmZvLjAOObGiTFEVKlMaasT8DnIrBSycNzu3g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
13661bfb4c0d974fd5f08abdb653daf9
Physical Object
An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types.
Object or Group Name
The common English name of the object or group of objects.
Stela Fragment from El Perú
Number of Objects
Count of objects reflected in this record.
1
Object Type
Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list.
Monument – obelisks, stelae, tombstones, totem poles
Fragment
Country of Origin
The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list.
Guatemala
Repatriated?
Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list.
Yes
Year Returned
Year of the return of the object to its country of origin.
1999
Returning Entity
Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency).
Undisclosed Private Collector, via Sotheby's
Receiving Country
Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
Guatemala
Status
Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public.
Ready for review
Tags
Guatemala
Sources
Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<p><em>Maya Stela Fragment Returned<br /></em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231012084146/https://archive.archaeology.org/online/news/stela.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20231012084146/https://archive.archaeology.org/online/news/stela.html</a></p>
<p><em>El Peru, Sawn-Up Blocks of Stela<br /></em><a href="https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/751817">https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/751817</a></p>
<p><em>Ritual, royalty and Classic period politics: the archaeology of the Mirador Group at El Perú-Waka', Petén, Guatemala<br /></em> <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/916923213?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses">https://www.proquest.com/docview/916923213?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses</a></p>
<p><em>The Road to Ruins<br /></em> <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=flPSEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Graham+%2B+The+Road+to+Ruins&ots=OJomU2AyL0&sig=Vyv--raRIt5Gak_BGL3TLMe2iGA#v=onepage&q=Graham%20%2B%20The%20Road%20to%20Ruins&f=false">https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=flPSEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Graham+%2B+The+Road+to+Ruins&ots=OJomU2AyL0&sig=Vyv--raRIt5Gak_BGL3TLMe2iGA#v=onepage&q=Graham%20%2B%20The%20Road%20to%20Ruins&f=false</a></p>
Case Summary
Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation.
At some point in the late 1960s, the ancient Mayan city now known as El Perú/Waká was discovered by oil prospectors. Almost immediately, it and several other nearby sites in the northwest Peten region of Guatemala (within today’s Laguna del Tigre National Park) began to have their stelae and other pieces of intricately carved monumental architecture toppled, broken, and in some instances, spirited out of the country.
Among them was this stele fragment, the central portion of a stela possibly from the Miradór group. It was likely carved and erected during the 11th century C.E., and depicts part of a belt worn by an unidentified Mayan ruler. The carved belt is adorned with a mask representing an unidentified deity, possibly Kinich Ahau, standing on an enemy’s head.
Renewed efforts to document, survey and excavate the site in the past decade have also better documented the multi-decade history of looting of El Perú/Waká. Dr. Ian Graham, then of Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, recounts in his biography, "The Road to Ruins", that when he first arrived in 1971 to survey the site, numerous stela were broken and some sections missing, even as most of the site remained hidden in the jungle. Subsequent timbering and use of the region’s ruins as drug running bases further threatened the archaeological sites in the area.
According to Archaeology Magazine, at least three other complete or fragmentary stelae are known to have been removed from El Perú/Waká at around the same time. These include a fragment of stela 33 at the Cleveland Museum of Art (the first El Perú/Waká antiquity to surface abroad, in 1967), and stella 34, currently held by the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. A separate side panel from stela 33 was also reported to have been sold at auction, but to whom and when is unknown. The Dallas Museum of Art also holds an altar stone that, based on iconography, may also derive from El Perú/Waká.
Dr. Graham learned of that this particular stele fragment was slated for sale on November 23rd, 1998 at Sotheby's pre-Columbian auction. Sotheby’s staff informed the consigner that the item was likely “hot” and that it would be best for everyone if it was returned. The owner agreed to the return and solicited the help of the New York-based law firm of Herrick Feinstein, known for their previous experience representing Guatemala in cultural heritage restitution matters.
Description of Object(s)
Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record.
The central section of a limestone carved Mayan stela depicting the Mayan Sun God (Kinich Ahau) holding the head of an enemy.
Size
General size of the object (numbered 1-5);
1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds)
2 - medium (e.g. most vases)
3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult)
4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized)
5 - monumental (larger than an adult human)
3
Object Materials
Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list.
Limestone
Creation Date
Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century.
c. 600 - 900 C.E.
Culture
Ancient culture associated with the object.
Maya
Findspot
Approximate site or location where the object was found (i.e. the archaeological provenience).
El Peru, Peten region, Guatemala
Date Looted
Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen.
1970 or earlier
Expert Review
Person(s) who analyzed the object or wrote about its authenticity, value or significance. Include here credit to people who identified the object as looted (relevant publications can be listed in Sources).
Dr. Ian Graham, Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Auction House
Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction.
Sotheby's
Auction Details
Include details about the auction, such as:
Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York).
Date of auction(s).
Lot number used to offer the object at auction.
Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency.
November 23rd, 1998, Precolombian Art sale
Sending Country
Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
USA
Reason for Return
Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other.
Voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim
MOLA Contributor(s)
Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry.
Damien Huffer
Auction Realized Price
Approximate sale price of the object at auction. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency.
Item withdrawn from auction by seller
Private Collector
Person who acquired the object for their personal collection.
Unnamed individual
Current Location
Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known).
National Museum of Mayan Art: Archeology and Ethnology, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Peer Reviewed By
Person who peer reviewed this record.
Jason Felch
Research Notes
Any additional notes about research questions, issues or further research needed.
Can't find any auction or expected price listings for the attempted Sotheby's sale. Nor can I find any press release about the repatriation itself or Guatemala's rep by the Feinstein law firm.
Needs to be checked against source documents for paraphrasing.
Other sources: <a href="https://traffickingculture.org/encyclopedia/case-studies/el-peru-waka-stela-fragment-returned-to-guatemala-in-1999/">https://traffickingculture.org/encyclopedia/case-studies/el-peru-waka-stela-fragment-returned-to-guatemala-in-1999/</a>
Images
Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<a href="https://archive.archaeology.org/online/news/stela.html">Image Source</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Stela Fragment from El Peru
Guatemala
Sotheby's
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/d2f07c4fbfd0415e9ac5136b34a68f6d.jpg?Expires=1792627200&Signature=CpHsCaiCuHveZoXeguAb0YsH3MkO4vnKEgJ93OAyySR1Lv8c0DqPj4XYlH6obKVtsnJ%7EgBc%7EE4lojxh8%7EE1r-mQpII3N90JE2EaWXItOw0uoCVAuFDeVUBBvqCmghxSxqeo55VsNhEXEe6TxmTXGYCaiQUR-GDYGMAlObsMzdUPO5mcQlrBXNSeEdfahM6y8-5Otf8vH8yj7dYaF-fpkPlzHTbi6kT6znLRNLamzW88H1VVRhgTQSpGf84Lyi%7EvFasojGjIF7if1K3lxd%7ECLeMJvrMx7Zq9hiBEdekByGTWFTB2Rnrz6XifXC6Se9l9zBu2OIdATja2ZmkO57GFddg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
89f342b05d92fda44649a4d2b0de35e2
Physical Object
An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types.
Object or Group Name
The common English name of the object or group of objects.
Duryodhana
Object Type
Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list.
Sculpture – statues, carvings, bronzes, reliefs, figurines
Number of Objects
Count of objects reflected in this record.
1
Country of Origin
The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list.
Cambodia
Culture
Ancient culture associated with the object.
Khmer
Repatriated?
Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list.
Yes
Year Returned
Year of the return of the object to its country of origin.
2014
Sending Country
Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
USA
Returning Entity
Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency).
Sotheby's
Receiving Country
Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
Cambodia
Status
Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public.
Completed
Sources
Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<p><em>Looted Khmer statues returned to Cambodia from US<br /></em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140805131210/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/looted-khmer-statues/1135196.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20140805131210/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/looted-khmer-statues/1135196.html</a></p>
<p><em>Disputed Statue to Be Returned to Cambodia<br /></em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230131005120/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/arts/design/disputed-statue-to-be-returned-to-cambodia.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20230131005120/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/arts/design/disputed-statue-to-be-returned-to-cambodia.html</a></p>
<p><em>Sotheby's agrees to return 10th-century Cambodian statue<br /></em><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/50c674de-6712-11e3-a5f9-00144feabdc0">https://www.ft.com/content/50c674de-6712-11e3-a5f9-00144feabdc0</a></p>
<p><em>Fate of A Statue: The Case of the Duryodhana<br /></em><a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/fate-of-a-statue-the-case-of-the-duryodhana/">https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/fate-of-a-statue-the-case-of-the-duryodhana/</a></p>
<p><em>1000-year-old Cambodian Statue Returns Home.<br /></em><a href="https://www.khmertimeskh.com/49156/1000-year-old-cambodian-statue-returns-home/">https://www.khmertimeskh.com/49156/1000-year-old-cambodian-statue-returns-home/</a></p>
Images
Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/arts/design/disputed-statue-to-be-returned-to-cambodia.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/arts/design/disputed-statue-to-be-returned-to-cambodia.html</a>
Description of Object(s)
Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record.
A 10th century sculpture of Duryodhana looted from the Prasat Chen temple of Koh Ker, Cambodia. Feet of the sculpture were discovered in situ in Prasat Chen, Koh Ker.
Alternate Name(s)
Other names by which the object or group is known; these may be formal titles, museum titles or colloquial titles, if different from the above Object or Group Name.
Statue of a Hindu warrior
Findspot
Approximate site or location where the object was found (i.e. the archaeological provenience).
Prasat Chen, Koh Ker
Dealer
Person(s) who offered the object for sale.
Douglas Latchford
Auction House
Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction.
Sotheby's
Private Collector
Person who acquired the object for their personal collection.
Decia Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa
Prosecuting Entity
The prosecutorial entity involved in the object’s repatriation.
US Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York
Law Enforcement Entity
The law enforcement entities that investigated the object before its repatriation.
ICE/Homeland Security Investigations New York
Current Location
Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known).
Cambodia
MOLA Contributor(s)
Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry.
Jason Felch
Creation Date
Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century.
c. 900-950 C.E.
Court Case and Number
Title of the civil or criminal case and number (e.g. New York v. Subhash Kapoor, CR-022431-19NY).
USA vs 10th Century Cambodian Sandstone Sculpture
Case #12-CIV-2600
Case Summary
Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation.
In April 2012, the U.S. government filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit against Sotheby's seeking to return this c. 10th century C.E. stone statue of Duryodhana to the people of Cambodia.
Duryodhana is the mythological 'twin' of Bhima, a statue once held by the Norton Simon Museum. Both statues were removed by the same organized looting network under cover of Khmer Rouge conflict from the Prasat Chen temple at the ancient site of Koh Ker. The Duryodhana head was removed and smuggled separately, likely in 1972.
The statue was consigned to Sotheby's in September, 2010, to be offered for sale in New York on behalf of a private collector in March 2011. Decia Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa said she first came to possess the statue after her late husband acquired it at a Spink & Son auction in 1975.
On the day of intended sale, Sotheby’s was notified by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An (with assistance from UNESCO and independent scholars) that the object had been looted from the Koh Ker temple complex, 80 miles east of Angkor Wat.
The parties attempted to negotiate a settlement to the dispute over the subsequent two years, but those negotiations ended abruptly when the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York filed a civil forfeiture suit and seized the statue. In making their case for the statue’s forfeiture, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York cited revealing emails from Emma C. Bunker, an authority on Khmer art, who initially warned the auction house that the statue should not be sold at public auction:
“The Cambodians in Phnom Penh now have clear evidence that it was definitely stolen from Prasat Chen at Koh Ker, as the feet are still in situ…Please do not give this report to anyone outside of Sotheby, as I often have access to such material, and don’t want to anger my sources. The two Dvarapalas must have stood close together and their feet remain, so it’s pretty clear where they came from.
I think it would be hugely unwise to offer the Duryodhana (together with the Norton Simon Bhima, referred to as the Dvarapalas) publicly, and I would not really feel comfortable writing it up under the circumstances. It is also possible that the Cambodians might block the sale and ask for the piece back….I’m sorry as I had some exciting things to say about it, but I don’t think Sotheby's wants this kind of potential problem.”
Bunker later consulted with “culture spies and museum directors” in Cambodia and told Sotheby’s it was not likely that the government would pursue a claim.
Sotheby’s attempted to proceed with the sale, with officials saying in internal emails that while it might receive bad press from “academics and ‘temple huggers,'” the potential profits from the sale made it “worth the risk.”
In December 2012, Sotheby’s and the private collector agreed to forfeit the Duryodhana to Cambodia. It returned to Cambodia in June 2014.
Documents
Link to key records or publications related to the object that are not available online.
<a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/191273261/Sotheby-s-Stipulation">https://www.scribd.com/document/191273261/Sotheby-s-Stipulation</a>
Size
General size of the object (numbered 1-5);
1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds)
2 - medium (e.g. most vases)
3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult)
4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized)
5 - monumental (larger than an adult human)
5
Object Materials
Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list.
Stone
Date Looted
Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen.
c. 1972 (Khmer Rouge era), if not earlier
Alleged Smuggler
Person(s) who moved the object out of its country of origin.
"Thai smugglers"
Expert Review
Person(s) who analyzed the object or wrote about its authenticity, value or significance. Include here credit to people who identified the object as looted (relevant publications can be listed in Sources).
Emma Bunker; Anne Lemaistre (then head of UNESCO Cambodia); Bertrand Porte (conservator, Cambodian National Museum); Eric Bourdonneau (epigrapher, EFEO Paris); unnamed stone conservator who examined the in situ pedestal in 2007.
Auction Details
Include details about the auction, such as:
Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York).
Date of auction(s).
Lot number used to offer the object at auction.
Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency.
Withdrawn before auction (2011)
Last Known Price, Valuation or Estimate
The most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency.
3,000,000
Year of Last Price
Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object.
2011
Value in 2024 US Dollars
Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1
4,113,341
Reason for Return
Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other.
Court ordered civil forfeiture
Criminal Behaviors Alleged
Criminal behavior associated with the case. Please select all that apply.
Modern conflict looting
Peer Reviewed By
Person who peer reviewed this record.
Damien Huffer
Operation Name
The trafficking network, or the name given to investigation by law enforcement entity.
Douglas Latchford Cases
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Duryodhana
Cambodia
Sotheby's
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/4f5b52e6be816ea5aa1f817a4162069e.png?Expires=1792627200&Signature=KRAwv-48PV8ueupQp1PoFGyDma76Q2l-aqg9igi1zGQF1D-5%7Edm9P1AK7AdjBBXNors8S-yHLrg310w-PsKq8OvOdE4tj1EXm7dlzQ7cfFePcg8opNccYjzivQqDbRpffKvDgVf6YvwTIJOfP1K7hbmbd1ofrOeSnwyL-FDTcuTu7Exk0M8jtjPMJLsyZ2obKKWA7FDnC1FNSscaMZhN6AApha4j1KTp-nNC14ihfPc1vPt%7ELel44MxCtzsckt-bI6F9lTEYmJJl92tClVlm3dE5cnzJS1llQlBERq7plzFFWlQ%7E3DJpz6b76bmGDLFWLPXNvMO1stSv2jg6Z3qX4g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
baa417120f11ea9937cb81c12816dd94
Physical Object
An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types.
Object or Group Name
The common English name of the object or group of objects.
Dat-Hamim Stele
Number of Objects
Count of objects reflected in this record.
1
Description of Object(s)
Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record.
An inscribed alabaster limestone slab, a bas-relief of fertility goddess Dat-Hamim on a foot-high tablet. The dimensions are 39 cm x 23.5 cm x 2 cm, 3.5 cm at the edge.
Country of Origin
The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list.
Yemen
Culture
Ancient culture associated with the object.
Himyarite Kingdom
Alternate Name(s)
Other names by which the object or group is known; these may be formal titles, museum titles or colloquial titles, if different from the above Object or Group Name.
South Arabian Alabaster Plaque
Date Looted
Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen.
July 1994
Findspot
Approximate site or location where the object was found (i.e. the archaeological provenience).
Aden Museum
Dealer
Person(s) who offered the object for sale.
Ali Aboutaam
Auction House
Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction.
Sotheby's New York
Museum Accession Number
Number associated with the acquisition of the object.
No. 729
Year Acquired
Year that the object was acquired by the institution.
1994 or earlier
Museum Donation or Purchase?
How did the museum acquire the object(s)? Select from drop-down list.
Donation
False Provenance
A false story about the object’s ownership history, used to hide the illicit activities through which the object was trafficked.
A private English collection
Last Known Price, Valuation or Estimate
The most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency.
USD $20,000
Year of Last Price
Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object.
2002
Repatriated?
Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list.
Yes
Year Returned
Year of the return of the object to its country of origin.
2004
Case Summary
Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation.
This alabaster stele depicts the fertility goddess Dat-Hamim, a deity of the sun during the pre-Islamic period, approximately 300-400 C.E.
Phoenix Ancient Art of Switzerland consigned the alabaster plaque for sale in 2002 at Sotheby's New York. It was withdrawn from sale when a Sotheby's staff member recognized the piece in a 1977 publication and concluded that the piece had been stolen from the Aden Museum in Yemen in July 1994 during a period of political unrest in Yemen.
Sotheby's requested permission from Phoenix Ancient Art to contact the Yemen museum and investigate whether the museum had a valid claim on the stele. Ali Aboutaam, one of the owners of Phoenix Ancient Art, requested that Sotheby's not contact the museum directly, but allow Phoenix Ancient Art to return the object to the undisclosed gallery from which it was purchased.
In August 2003, officials of the Republic of Yemen confirmed that the stele was reported to have been stolen and requested the assistance of the U.S. government to recover the stele. A seizure warrant was issued in September 2003 and the item was forfeited to the U.S. government on December 31, 2003.
It was officially returned to the Ambassador of Yemen on December 1, 2004 at a ceremony held in New York City. It currently resides in the National Museum of Yemen in Sana'a.
Sending Country
Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
USA
Returning Entity
Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency).
Phoenix Ancient Art
Receiving Country
Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
Yemen
Reason for Return
Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other.
Law Enforcement Seizure
Current Location
Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known).
National Museum of Yemen
Sources
Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<p><em>Brodie, N. 2014. Auction Houses and the Antiquities Trade. 3rd international conference of experts on the return of cultural property. Athens: Archaeological Receipts Fund<br /></em><a href="https://traffickingculture.org/app/uploads/2015/06/Brodie-2014-Auction-Houses.pdf">https://traffickingculture.org/app/uploads/2015/06/Brodie-2014-Auction-Houses.pdf</a></p>
<p><em>Yemeni Stele Returns to Mideast Home<br /></em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101031213931/http://www.nysun.com:80/on-the-town/yemeni-stele-returns-to-mideast-home/5705/">https://web.archive.org/web/20101031213931/http://www.nysun.com:80/on-the-town/yemeni-stele-returns-to-mideast-home/5705/</a></p>
<p><em>Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities Investigations<br /></em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170427124838/https://www.ice.gov/factsheets/cultural-artifacts">https://web.archive.org/web/20170427124838/https://www.ice.gov/factsheets/cultural-artifacts</a></p>
Creation Date
Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century.
300-400 C.E.
Auction Details
Include details about the auction, such as:
Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York).
Date of auction(s).
Lot number used to offer the object at auction.
Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency.
New York
December 11, 2002
$20,000-30,000 (not sold)
Object Type
Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list.
Sculpture – statues, carvings, bronzes, reliefs, figurines
Size
General size of the object (numbered 1-5);
1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds)
2 - medium (e.g. most vases)
3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult)
4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized)
5 - monumental (larger than an adult human)
2
Object Materials
Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list.
Limestone
Gallery
Name of the gallery, shop or dealership where the object was offered for sale, with the name of the city where the gallery was located in parentheses.
Phoenix Ancient Art
Museum Name
Name of the institution that held this object before it was repatriated. Please use the official name of the institution.
Aden Museum
Value in 2024 US Dollars
Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1
20,820
Prosecuting Entity
The prosecutorial entity involved in the object’s repatriation.
United State District Court, Southern District of New York.
Court Case and Number
Title of the civil or criminal case and number (e.g. New York v. Subhash Kapoor, CR-022431-19NY).
U.S.A. v. South Arabian Alabaster Stele
Law Enforcement Entity
The law enforcement entities that investigated the object before its repatriation.
HSI-NY
Criminal Behaviors Alleged
Criminal behavior associated with the case. Please select all that apply.
Modern conflict looting
Theft (stolen from a documented collection, rather than looted)
MOLA Contributor(s)
Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry.
Damien Huffer
Peer Reviewed By
Person who peer reviewed this record.
Jason Felch
Status
Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public.
Completed
Transportation or Storage Company
Company that transported or stored the object.
Bloomfield Collection
Images
Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<a href="https://traffickingculture.org/encyclopedia/case-studies/dat-hamin-stele/">https://traffickingculture.org/encyclopedia/case-studies/dat-hamin-stele/</a>
Image Captions
Write a brief caption for each image included, providing context for what is shown. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc.
Frontal view of Dat Hamim stele
Research Notes
Any additional notes about research questions, issues or further research needed.
There might be more to find out about Bloomfield Collections
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dat-Hamim Stele
Sotheby's
Yemen
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/9e99c2accb98b4dc5a5583401510e29e.png?Expires=1792627200&Signature=C2orVEVTkMDhZaod7XxUzpPw-xpjuzWAPd-er8rQBRRrc4pMrtUWj153ZxzB-OAeMP1-zW6F5otWeWLIaQfI7O8zZkm%7E1QAJeD1doRwol9iMEi2h8wHTvK9MVrT-qQRaxZvBW-wN1AtgnfYaZ6os%7EIIKwHrrzMWB%7EAVArGKkpCtIXxYB3Hy1hH6R4eF-LW6h3iKRLZkpAz2Vol5WuHcHnQW53SxkCIvIs%7Emejuc2WwYJboMI7PPQ%7EnF21I1RV71gJq3CZNTjd-ahBlGAmF6kaLYr3AqF51HRuHF7z3Mf4nbu6YptgryA1NWpl53wrargCa9JqtSAMqEtc554lQ1btA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
f2fbe5085089e77ebbdb05529e3af96b
Physical Object
An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types.
Object or Group Name
The common English name of the object or group of objects.
A Bronze Figure of Zeus
Number of Objects
Count of objects reflected in this record.
1
Object Materials
Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list.
Bronze
Description of Object(s)
Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record.
This 11/16 inches tall bronze statuette depicts Zeus standing in a contrapposto pose with his right arm raised—likely once holding a thunderbolt or scepter, now missing. The figure is finely modeled, with defined musculature and stylized curls in the hair and beard, characteristic of Roman bronze workmanship influenced by earlier Greek prototypes.
Country of Origin
The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list.
Italy
Culture
Ancient culture associated with the object.
Late Hellenistic or Early Roman Imperial
Auction House
Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction.
Sotheby's
Private Collector
Person who acquired the object for their personal collection.
Lawrence and Barbara Fleischman Collection, New York
False Provenance
A false story about the object’s ownership history, used to hide the illicit activities through which the object was trafficked.
Anonymous Swiss Collector in the late 1960s
Repatriated?
Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list.
Yes
Year Returned
Year of the return of the object to its country of origin.
2010
Case Summary
Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation.
The bronze statue of Zeus was stolen in 1980 from the Museo Nazionale Romano in Rome. Despite its illicit origin, it reappeared in scholarly and curatorial circles within a few years.
In 1984, a publication by Joyce Geary Volk listed the statue as being in the collection of antiquities dealer Edward H. Merrin. According to the publication, Merrin had acquired it from another dealer who claimed the piece came from a Swiss collector in the late 1960s.
By 1988, the statue was exhibited at the Cleveland Museum of Art as the property of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence A. Fleischman.
In 2004, a photograph of the statue appeared in a Sotheby’s auction catalogue. This image allowed investigators to trace the object to its consignor, an unnamed gallery in New York.
The bronze statue was recovered in 2010 thanks to the effort of the Carabinieri Tutela del Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
Sending Country
Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
USA
Returning Entity
Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency).
Sotheby's, on behalf on consignor
Receiving Country
Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list.
Italy
Current Location
Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known).
National Roman Museum
Sources
Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<em>The Bronze Zeus Returned to Italy</em><br /><a href="http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/2010/11/bronze-zeus-returned-to-italy.html">http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/2010/11/bronze-zeus-returned-to-italy.html</a>
<em>A Small Bronze Statue of Zeus Recovered </em><br /><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/small-bronze-statue-of-zeus-recovered-by-romes-heritage-news-photo/106967021">http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/small-bronze-statue-of-zeus-recovered-by-romes-heritage-news-photo/106967021</a>
<em>A Bronze Figure of Zeus</em><br /><a href="http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2004/egyptian-classical-and-western-asiatic-antiquities-n08035/lot.249.html">http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2004/egyptian-classical-and-western-asiatic-antiquities-n08035/lot.249.html</a>
<em>Zeus Statue Returned to Italian Museum After 30 Years </em><br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/8147966/Zeus-statue-returned-to-Italian-museum-after-30-years.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/8147966/Zeus-statue-returned-to-Italian-museum-after-30-years.html</a>
<em>The Gods Delight: The Human Figure in Classical Bronze</em>, Arielle P. Kozloff and David Gordon Mitten, eds., catalogue of the exhibition at The Cleveland Museum of Art, November 16th, 1988 - January 8th, 1989, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, February 9th - April 9th, 1989, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, May 9th - July 9th, 1989, Cleveland, 1988, no. 29, pp. 168-172, illus.
"A Lysippan Zeus", California Studies in Classical Antiquity 3, 2 [1984] 272-83). Published by Joyce Geary Volk, who reported that in 1984 the Zeus was the property of Edward H. Merrin: "Mr Merrin purchased it from a dealer who had obtained it from a Swiss collector in the late 1960s".
MOLA Contributor(s)
Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry.
Casey Bennett
Peer Reviewed By
Person who peer reviewed this record.
Vanessa Rousseau
Ilaria Bortot
Images
Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive.
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140226171630/http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01766/Italy-Statues_1766859b.jpg" class="hoverZoomLink">https://web.archive.org/web/20140226171630/http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01766/Italy-Statues_1766859b.jpg</a>
Object Type
Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list.
Sculpture – statues, carvings, bronzes, reliefs, figurines
Status
Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public.
Completed
Creation Date
Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century.
50 BCE - 100 CE
Auction Details
Include details about the auction, such as:
Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York).
Date of auction(s).
Lot number used to offer the object at auction.
Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency.
Auction date: 9/9/2004
Research Notes
Any additional notes about research questions, issues or further research needed.
Other sources: <br /><a href="https://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/2010/11/bronze-zeus-returned-to-italy.html">https://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/2010/11/bronze-zeus-returned-to-italy.html</a><br /><a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/looting-matters-zeus-returns-to-italy-110848314.html">https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/looting-matters-zeus-returns-to-italy-110848314.html</a>
See Also
Additional records within MOLA that are other objects of interest. These are objects related to a larger collection. Breakout records have omitted 2024 Value information and Number of Objects.
<a href="https://mola.omeka.net/admin/items/show/id/954">1st Century A.D. Roman Female Marble Torso</a>
Size
General size of the object (numbered 1-5);
1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds)
2 - medium (e.g. most vases)
3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult)
4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized)
5 - monumental (larger than an adult human)
2
Provenance Summary
A chronological history of the object's ownership history, starting with the oldest date first. Enter a year and summary of the transaction for reach provenance event.
Before 1980: Housed in the collection of the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome, Italy.
1980: Stolen from the Museo Nazionale Romano, near Termini station in Rome.
By 1984: Listed in a publication by Joyce Geary Volk as being in the collection of Edward H. Merrin, New York antiquities dealer.
By 1988: Exhibited at the Cleveland Museum of Art, recorded as the property of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence A. Fleischman.
2004: A photograph of the statue appeared in a Sotheby’s auction catalogue, helping authorities trace it to an unnamed New York gallery.
Post-2006: Identified by Italian authorities as looted property.
2010: Recovered by the Carabinieri TPC
Auction Realized Price
Approximate sale price of the object at auction. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency.
120,300 euros (165,000 dollars)
Criminal Behaviors Alleged
Criminal behavior associated with the case. Please select all that apply.
Theft (stolen from a documented collection, rather than looted)
Last Known Price, Valuation or Estimate
The most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency.
120,300 euros (165,000 dollars)
Year of Last Price
Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object.
2004
Value in 2024 US Dollars
Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1
274010
Reason for Return
Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other.
Law Enforcement Seizure
Date Looted
Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen.
1980
Dealer
Person(s) who offered the object for sale.
Edward Merrin
Gallery
Name of the gallery, shop or dealership where the object was offered for sale, with the name of the city where the gallery was located in parentheses.
Merrin Gallery
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
A Bronze Figure of Zeus
Italy
Sotheby's