Aphrodite 5th Century B.C.
After almost two years, Italian authorities and Getty administrators have reached an agreement about the disputed Italian artifacts. In the largest deal in museum history the Getty has agreed to return forty artifacts to the Italian authorities; acknowledging that the paper trail is insufficient to confirm proper ownership. All but one item is going to be shipped to Italy by December 2007. The statue of Aphrodite will remain on display at the Getty until 2010, and a couple other items remain to be negotiated. Marion True, the antiquities curator from 1987 to 2005, remains on trial for her alleged role in the acquisition of the antiquities. There is no word on how this forfeiture of goods will affect her sentence, but Getty officials have expressed hope that it will aid her case. Other museums, including the Met in New York and the Boston Museum of Art, have simply handed over questionable items in order to avoid the scrutiny that the Getty has undergone over the past two years. I guess Italy took the right strategy; go for the biggest first and the others will follow suit.
An Askos, used to pour liquids, 480-450 B.C
A Table Support
Dionysos
