Who Owns the Past? Collectors, Museums, and the Ethics of Ownership
![]()
Who owns the Greek past? Where do the Parthenon Marbles belong and why? Where do Cycladic figurines come from, and why do we know so little about most of them? Is the Getty Kouros an authentic Greek statue? Can we use science to answer this question? If the Euphronios Krater was made in Greece, why is it in Italy (after more than thirty years in the US)? Is looting still happening in Greece? We will contemplate these and other questions in our discussion of the broad range of ethical dilemmas connected to Greek antiquities in the 21st century. We will focus on issues concerning the looting of ancient sites; ethical, political, and legal aspects of the international trade in art objects and antiquities; authenticity and forgery of ancient art and the scientific technologies applied in the analysis of ancient objects; the management of museums and repatriation of cultural property; conservation and preservation of cultural heritage; and the protection of cultural property in armed conflict. No previous knowledge of Greek art and archaeology is required.