At 03:22 PM 5/8/00 -0400, Meredith Rendall wrote:

>I am very interested, if you would reply on-line or include me in the
>response.

Robt Baron wrote:

>>Do any museum-l readers know if Turkey's demand to repatriate the Altar of
>>Zeus from Pergamon is still a current issue. Are they still demanding it
>>back. Any recent news regarding this?

The answer to this question seems to be yes; Turkey, within the last ten
years or so, did ask Berlin to return the sculptures of the Altar of Zeus
from Pergamon. My source is the law firm that Turkey uses to press
repatriation cases and the return of stolen antiquities.

Anyone interested in my query is invited to read my letter to the editor of
the New York Times that was published yesterday (Sunday, 5/14/00) on the
fate of the newly discovered Roman city and mosaics about to be inundated
by the water collecting behind a new dam designed to produce hydro-electric
power.

With the Elgin marbles, the frieze sculptures from the Altar of Zeus from
Pergamon are the two most important antique sculptural cycles in Europe.
There is general fear among European and American museums that if one of
these is returned (the return of the Elgin Marbles, being most hotly
debated), the flood-gates will open for everything else to go.

I'll not rekindle this debase now in this forum, but will mention that it
was the subject of a shrill debate on museum-l several years ago.

Robt Baron

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