SAFE Tour with Oscar Muscarella at the Met and the Euphronios krater

Saving Antiquities For Everyone/SAFE will start its 2006 SAFE Tours series with a special lecture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, guided by Dr. Oscar White Muscarella. This tour will take place on Friday, March 17th at 5.30PM. Dr. Muscarella will speak about the unexpected
ways objects were acquired, particularly the Euphronios krater, soon to be returned to Italy, after it was purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art more than 30 years ago. The tour will cost $30 ($10 for students with valid ID) per person and should be reserved in advance, as space is limited.

“As a highly respected scholar, Dr. Muscarella has for a long time been a warrior in the combat against looting and the illicit antiquities trade. We encourage anyone interested in the issue of cultural property to attend this special event and take the chance to discuss the topic with one of the most committed and knowledgeable experts.”

Dr. Oscar White Muscarella is a specialist in the art and archaeology of the Ancient Near East and has been on staff of the Metropolitan Museum of art since 1964. An outspoken critic of the antiquities trade and the plunder of artifacts, he is also the author of The Lie Became Great: The Forgery of Near Eastern Cultures. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences in 1965 and has since participated in extensive excavation projects in Turkey and Iran. Among his many scholarly publications are: Ancient Art: The Norbert Schimmel Collection, Bronze & Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Catalogue of Ivories from Hasanlu Iran.

The mission of the SAFE tours is to provide an “insider's look” at museum collection and focus on artworks and artifacts that have dubious provenance or are presumed to be illicit. These tours are guided by art historians, archaeologists and museum specialists and journalists. SAFE Tours also take place at the Boston Museum of Art and can be customized to suit participants' specific interests. Visit www.savingantiquities.org for reservation and more information.