The Curious Case of a Gold Vessel from Ur

Last Wednesday, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung carried a story entitled "Deutsch-irkaischer Archäologenkrimi / Aus Ur oder aus Troja? Ein Goldgefäß macht derzeit den Behörden Probleme. Es soll von Raubgrabungen aus dem Irak stammen. Bagdad hat Strafanzeige gegen einen deutschen Händler gestellt" (by D. Gerlach, 29.6.2009, pp. 1,3) about a gold vessel looted from Ur that was offered by a German auction house. A slightly more condensed article in English also summarizes the story ("Mesopotamian Vase Sheds Light on Germany's Artefacts Trade," Deutsche Welle, 30.6.2009).

The vase was first spotted for sale in 2005 at the German ancient coin auction house Hirsch Nachfolger, when it was then seized by authorities and handed over to Michael Müller-Karpe at the Römisch-Germanische Zentralmuseum in Mainz for an expert opinion. Müller-Karpe, an archaeologist who works on material from the region and a specialist in metalwork, concluded that it was likely looted from the royal cemetery at Ur where many similar vessels have been found. Looting in Iraq has dramatically increased since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Customs officials have now asked Müller-Karpe to return the vase to them, but has refused stating that the Iraqi Embassy in Berlin has asked him not to return it to customs. Iraqi officials have warned that anyone who helps or participates in the sale would be liable to up to five years imprisonment in Iraq. Münzhandlung Hirsch Nachfolger claims the vessel comes from Troy.

(Photo from Deutsche Welle)

Personal Note: Coming (Back) to America!

Posting on Numismatics & Archaeology will likely be lighter until the end of August since I am in the process of organizing an international move. But it is my hope to continue make at least one post per week on average.

My position at the Institut für Archäologische Wissenschaften, Abt. II at the Goethe Universität in Frankfurt expires on July 31, 2009. In addition to finding a new renter for my apartment and lining up accomodation in the U.S., there is much to do at the University since I need to finish off my essential research with the find corpora for my dissertation. When I get back to the U.S., I must coordinate moving all of my stuff from Missouri to New Haven, Connecticut where I will begin a two-year position in August.

On August 15, 2009, I will take up a two year position as a postgraduate associate in the Department of Coins and Medals at the Yale University Art Gallery. When my dissertation is completed I will be reclassified as a postdoctoral associate. My primary responsibilities will include assisting the curator, William Metcalf, in the management and supervision of digitization of Yale's numismatic collection. I will have the opportunity to teach at the University in the second year and will be able to assist in the organization of an exhibit as the Gallery moves to its new location. I look forward to working at the Yale University Art Gallery and participating in academic life within the Gallery and the University.

I have enjoyed my time in Frankfurt and will surely miss it. I remain particularly grateful to Prof. von Kaenel who, after I studied here on a DAAD grant in 2006/2007, took an active interest in my work and offered me the opportunity to return and conduct more research, first by offering me a short-term position with the Fundmünzen der Antike project and then with a position in the Institute. I will certainly miss all of my colleagues with whom I have established collegial relationships over the past few years, but we shall certainly remain in touch.

(Photo: View of the Frankfurt skyline from my office at the University - a view that will be difficult to rival in any future academic jobs).

Week 9: "Picture Language on Roman Coins: Approaches and Interpretations"

This was our final meeting and the topic under consideration for our course on methods of interpreting and understanding Roman coin images was "The Importance of Archaeological Context: Nuances in the Semantic System and the Audiences for Coin Images" (handout Deutsch - English).

We began by discussing F. Koening's publication of the coin finds from the necropolis at Avenches and his observation that certain reverse types such as Salus, Felicitas, and Roma were preferred for deposition with the dead. This trend would seem to indicate that the viewers were making judgments about the coins most appropriate for deposition and thus responding to or thinking about certain images, something which was only recognized here via the context. One criticism of the study, however, is the relatively small sample size.

Next we discussed Fleur Kemmers' study of the coin finds from the legionary fortress at Nijmegen, which I have mentioned several times before here and elsewhere. Her detailed and comprehensive study of the finds there also indicated a remarkable concentration of militaristically-themed Flavian coins in contrast to neighboring civilian settlements and the finds from Rome. Her study also examined the logistics of coin supply to Nijmegen and it was demonstrated that these coin types were deliberately supplied to the legions stationed at Nijmegen. This realization provides a new perspective on the semantic system on Roman coinage and clearly shows that, at least at certain times and in certain instances, the Roman state directly targeted certain groups with coins based on specific reverse designs. Future studies of excavation coins may well benefit from attending to the distribution of reverse types as compared with other sites.

We moved on to Hekster's article about the targeting of audiences based on different denominations. This article was not "archaeological" per se, but did distinguish visual programs as they appeared on precious metal and bronze coins and certainly has implications for studies of "coins in context" that address iconography.

Finally, we briefly discussed the last four pages of my recent methodological article on Roman coin iconography that address recent insights into the study of Roman coin images provided by archaeological contexts and then lays out a series of methods and steps that could provide a more encompassing view of Roman coin images in future studies. Among other things, it is argued that using find corpora and inventories, we may better understand the semantic system on Roman coinage by studying the regional distribution of bronze coin types.

Researching and writing this article provided the inspiration for this course when Prof. von Kaenel asked me to instruct a course on the interpretation of Roman coin images.