Artifacts from ancient Cyprus

This evening, after a lovely supper with Roger, Bonnie, and J. E., consisting  of "finnan haddie"  chowder, coleslaw and bread, prepared by Ellen, we went to a lecture at Willamette U on Cypriotic pottery. Here is a description of the exhibit, which provides a summary of the lecture:

"Organized by professor and faculty curator Ann M. Nicgorski, the exhibition features 26 ceramic vessels and figurines that date from the Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age (ca. 2500 to 475 BCE) and have many tales to tell. As carefully crafted artifacts of daily life in Cyprus, an ancient crossroads of civilizations, they tell of local traditions and aesthetics in dialogue with cultural imports from the East and West.

Equally fascinating, however, are the stories of their travels to museums in Washington, Oregon, and California, which were facilitated by many colorful characters including Luigi Palma di Cesnola, the first director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Jane and Leland Stanford, founders of Stanford University; railroad tycoon Samuel Hill; San Francisco philanthropists Phoebe Apperson Hearst and Alma de Bretteville Spreckels; Queen Marie of Romania and her eldest daughter, Elisabeth, Queen Consort of the Hellenes; and Harvey Seeley Mudd.

The pieces in this exhibition are drawn from museums in Washington, Oregon, and California, which are remarkably rich in artifacts from ancient Cyprus. In addition to the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, these institutions include the Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, Washington; the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Washington in Seattle; the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley; the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco; the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University in Palo Alto; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu."

The most fascinating story to come out in the lecture has to do with Luigi Palma di Cesnola (1832-1904), the first Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who was U. S. consul in Cyprus from 1865-1877. During his time there he essentially robbed Cyprus of thousands of artifacts, many of them taken from graves. He did this without respect for the people of Cyprus or for the principles of archeology re: site orientation, dating, etc. Most of these artifacts ended up at the Metropolitan Museum; many were later sold and ended up at Stanford, the Getty Museum, Maryhill Museum, etc.  He was honored in his day, but today, as came up in the question period, there are real issues of where these artifacts really belong. There are arguments to be made on both sides of the issue, but
one cannot help but be troubled by this history. Such is the resonance in today's world of an exhibit of old ceramics!

Base-Ring Ware Askos in the Shape of a Bull, Late Bronze Age, ca. 1400-1230 BCE

White-Painted Ware Amphora, Late Bronze Age to Cypro-Geometric, ca.1200-950 BCE,

Bichrome Ware (Free-field Style) Jug, Cypro-Archaic, ca. 700-600 BCE

A Bichrome Ware Horse and Rider, Cypro-Archaic, ca. 700-600 BCE,

Base-Ring Ware Female Figurine with Birdlike Face, Late Bronze Age, ca. 1450-1200 BCE,

Hemispherical Bowl, Early to Middle Bronze Age, ca. 2000-1750 BCE,