Ancient Bronze Griffin Head Returned to Greece from New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art returns a stolen 7th-century BC artifact in a notable cultural repatriation.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has returned an ancient bronze griffin head, which was stolen almost a century ago, to a museum in southern Greece.
This act marks a significant cultural repatriation, reflecting a broader movement within the museum community to return artifacts acquired through questionable means.
The artifact dates back to the 7th century BC and was previously on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games.
Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni attended the ceremony at the Metropolitan Museum, calling the return a significant moment in the history of cultural heritage.
"After decades of absence, the statue returns to the place it belongs," she stated, commending the collaborative efforts of the Greek Ministry of Culture and the American museum in tracing the artifact's history.
The bronze head will now be exhibited alongside a similar griffin head that is housed in the Olympia museum.
In recent years, museums and galleries worldwide have begun to acknowledge the importance of returning significant cultural items while promoting a global approach to heritage.
As part of this new framework, Greece has agreed to occasionally loan the griffin head back to the Metropolitan Museum for future exhibitions, according to Mendoni.
"We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with the Greek government and look forward to further engagement and cultural exchange," said Metropolitan Museum Director Max Hollein during the ceremony.
The griffin, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, symbolized strength and divine protection in ancient Greece.
The Metropolitan Museum has recently intensified its efforts to reassess the history of its collection, hiring additional experts to investigate the provenance and acquisition methods of the items in its rich array of artifacts.
Greece hopes that this new approach will aid its decades-long campaign for the return of the Parthenon marbles and sculptures, which were taken from the Acropolis in Athens in the 19th century and are currently on display at the British Museum.
The Greek government asserts the significance of these items and their unlawful removal and reports progress in negotiations with the London museum.
This act marks a significant cultural repatriation, reflecting a broader movement within the museum community to return artifacts acquired through questionable means.
The artifact dates back to the 7th century BC and was previously on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games.
Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni attended the ceremony at the Metropolitan Museum, calling the return a significant moment in the history of cultural heritage.
"After decades of absence, the statue returns to the place it belongs," she stated, commending the collaborative efforts of the Greek Ministry of Culture and the American museum in tracing the artifact's history.
The bronze head will now be exhibited alongside a similar griffin head that is housed in the Olympia museum.
In recent years, museums and galleries worldwide have begun to acknowledge the importance of returning significant cultural items while promoting a global approach to heritage.
As part of this new framework, Greece has agreed to occasionally loan the griffin head back to the Metropolitan Museum for future exhibitions, according to Mendoni.
"We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with the Greek government and look forward to further engagement and cultural exchange," said Metropolitan Museum Director Max Hollein during the ceremony.
The griffin, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, symbolized strength and divine protection in ancient Greece.
The Metropolitan Museum has recently intensified its efforts to reassess the history of its collection, hiring additional experts to investigate the provenance and acquisition methods of the items in its rich array of artifacts.
Greece hopes that this new approach will aid its decades-long campaign for the return of the Parthenon marbles and sculptures, which were taken from the Acropolis in Athens in the 19th century and are currently on display at the British Museum.
The Greek government asserts the significance of these items and their unlawful removal and reports progress in negotiations with the London museum.
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