Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World,   ISBN:9780805090888

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When we look with amazement and wonder at the antiques in the Louvre, British Museum, Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, we seldom ponder on how they were collected and the stories behind the acquisitions of those pieces. Now in this detailed book `Loot' , Sharon Waxman tells us the fight (both legal and political) that is going on between the countries like Egypt, Italy, Greece and Turkey from where many of the antiquities came from, and the museums where they currently reside. We get a glimpse of the life behind the museum's staid facade, the trade in stolen antiquities and how many museums are now being forced to give back many prized pieces back to the countries they were stolen from.

However, the book is not a one sided version - it also explains the great value being provided to society by these museums, not only in educating the public, protecting the antiques from destruction and vandalism, but also in research, excavations and studies that have given so much insight into many old civilizations and cultures. But times are changing and old colonies are now independent democracies which feel the need to demand back what was `stolen' or removed from their temples, tombs and other archaeological sites over the last few hundred years. The challenges undergone by the four museums that I have mentioned above are covered in full detail.

Some of the important disputed antiques whose `stories' are covered in this book are `The Rosetta Stone', `The bust of Nefertiti', `Zodiac ceiling of Danderah', `Sculpture of Ankhaf' from Egypt, `The Lydian Hoard' from Turkey, `The Euphronios Krater', `the Elgin Marbles, from Greece, `The Victorious Youth', `Statue of Aphrodite', from Italy as well as many others.

The museums that seem to have been affected most seriously are the Getty museum and the Metropolitan Art, who have been forced to return many valuable antiques back to the country of origin. The Louvre and the British Museum seem to be holding out better, though it remains to be seen how long they can withstand the pressure.

With a good mix of the stories behind many of the prized antiques as well as the important players in this drama such as the museum curators, collectors, dealers and the politicians, the book provides a lively narration of a subject which typically does not get much coverage. However the drawback of the book is that the narrative is often too long, points keep getting repeated and the author seems to lose focus at many places.

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Any arts or general-interest lending collection will find lively and fun LOOT: THE BATTLE OVER THE STOLEN TREASURES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD. For two centuries the West has plundered the treasures of the ancient world - LOOT brings to life the methods, logic, and history of this plundering of museums and offers many important insights into cultural and social interactions in the arts. Perfect for both arts and general lending library world history collections.

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Basically, Sharon Waxman goes on and on about how many relics (looted by citizens of their own countries) have been purchased by Western museums 80 years after the fact. How can anyone know for sure where some relics came from and the chain of ownership that followed? Let's face it; for centuries, the Greeks and Turks did not care about or value their antiquities. The residents and government officials of these countries sold whatever they could for however much they could get. I think it benefits everyone to be able to visit a world-class museum like the British Museum or the Met and spend 2 hours in the Greek section, 2 hours in the Egyption section, etc. And noone could display the Bust of Nefertiti like the Germans. It is spectacular. You really feel like you are seeing something special. Would it have the same impact if you saw it in the Cairo Museum? No, it would be displayed in a poorly-lit corner and everyone would be able to touch it. The reason it is so special is because the Germans have made it special. Ms. Waxman was very dramatic in discussing the horrible Western museums while down-playing the role of the Greek, Turkish and Italian officials who either sold these relics or turned a blind eye. I just finished the book and I felt she was very hostile and just battered the museums, especially the Getty. Why don't we just close the Louvre, British Museum, Getty, and the Met and send everything back to these countries and see how many people are interested then.

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Art may be a symbol of a culture, but its perceived value has been a prize of conquest since before recorded history. The chief distinction between then and now has been the application of the industrial revolution's technology to loot with amazing abandon, a predominantly Western European endeavor. While the author's sympathies are with the exploited countries of origin, as we know them now, the case for the alternative is succinctly made and explored: If rich westerners saw works of amazing art, the locals saw cheap building supplies and raw materials. The builders of these amazing works of art were races and societies apart from those who inhabit those regions today, who more often then not are indifferent, if not actually hostile, to what we might consider to be cultural patrimony. The focus on four western art institutions that have benefited from the plunder, still ongoing, is contrasted with the political entities who are exploiting the western hand wringing with the raw exercise of power for its own sake. Well written if not a bit preachy, the book's 399 pages are organized into 15 chapters within four parts.

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I wanted to love this book but ended up merely liking it. For those without a basic knowledge of the arguments in the museum acquisition and antiquities world this is a good basic book outlining many of the key issues. Waxman is at her best when drawing character sketches. At times she seemed to be fumbling for a point to the whole book and her end conclusions don't seem to be informed much by any of her experiences. It felt like a series of newspaper pieces, well-researched, accurate but devoid of the sort of passion and intensity that keeps a book like this entertaining for the reader.