Katie Demakopoulou (1992: 141-146) published 28 Mycenaean Cypriot vases, and Spyros Iakovidis (1992: 211-213) 6 Mycenaean Cypriot stirrup jars, from the collection of the Archaeological Society of Athens, in the National Archaeological Museum.
The National Museum bought, or was given, the 34 artefacts between 1854 and 1896 (Demakopoulou, 1992: 141); but it is not known when the Archaeological Society got them.
Find-spots
It is known that the artefacts were not scientifically excavated, but it is not known how the artefacts were found, or where (ibid.: 146-147); so they were probably looted. Demakopoulou (1992: 147) did note that the 28 vases were stylistically similar to objects from Hala Sultan Tekke, that there was 'illicit digging' there, and that private antiquities collectors bought 'many' of its looted antiquities.
It is believed that, before the British Museum's 1897-1898 excavations at Hala Sultan Tekke, (Greek Cypriot majority mixed) Dromolaxia villagers looted the site (Bailey, 1976: 1). However, it would be unscientific and unfair to presume that these artefacts were the ones looted from Hala Sultan Tekke by Dromolaxia villagers, and thus that they were probably looted by Greek Cypriots.
Furthermore, Iakovidis (1992: 213) stated that the six stirrup jars 'd[id] not comprise a homogeneous group with common concrete origin. It is known only that they came from Cyprus, without even being certain that they were found there' (1).
Exports
Some of the antiquities were acquired between 1854 and 1869, so they may (or may not) have been legally exported with an Ottoman export licence (firman).
Some of the antiquities were acquired between 1869 and 1974, when antiquities export was illegal, under the Ottoman Antiquities Law of 1869.
Some of the antiquities were acquired between 1874 and 1884, so they may (or may not) have been legally exported with an Ottoman firman, under the revised 1874 Antiquities Law.
Some of the antiquities were acquired between 1884 and 1896, when antiquities export was illegal, under the again-revised Ottoman Antiquities Law of 1884.
However, the British Empire ignored Ottoman laws introduced after the beginning of the British Cypriot administration in 1878; so the British Empire, rather than the Archaeological Society of Athens, would have been responsible for the illegality of any exports between 1884 and 1896.
- '[Δ]εν αποτελούν ομοιογενή ομάδα με κοινή συγκεκριμένη προέλευση. Γνωστό είναι μόνο ότι ήλθαν από την Κύπρο, χωρίς να είναι καν βέβαιο ότι ευρέθηκαν εκεί' (Iakovidis, 1992: 213).
Bailey, D M. 1976: "The British Museum excavations at Hala Sultan Tekke in 1897 and 1898: The material in the British Museum". In Åström, P, Bailey, D M and Karageorghis, V, (Eds.). Hala Sultan Tekke 1: Excavations 1897-1971, 1-32. Göteborg: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Demakopoulou, K. 1992: "Mycenaean vases from Cyprus in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens". Sto Ioannides, G K, (Epi.). Afieroma sto Vaso Karagiorgi [Studies in honour of Vassos Karageorghis], 141-150. Lefkosia: Etaireia Kypriakon Spoudon. [Ιωαννίδης, Γ Κ, (Επι.). 1992: Αφιέρομα στο Βάσο Καραγιώργη. Λευκωσία: Εταιρεία Κυπριακών Σπουδών.]
Iakovidis, S E. 1992: "Pseudostomoi tis Kypriakis Syllogis tou Ethnikou Arxaiologikou Mouseiou Athinon [Stirrup jars of the Cypriot Collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens]". Sto Ioannides, G K, (Epi.). Afieroma sto Vaso Karagiorgi [Studies in honour of Vassos Karageorghis], 211-215. Lefkosia: Etaireia Kypriakon Spoudon. [Ιακωβίδης, Σ Ε. 1992: «Ψευδόστομοι της Κυπριακής Συλλογής του Εθνικού Αρχαιολογικού Μουσείου Αθηνών». Στο Ιωαννίδης, Γ Κ, (Επι.). 1992: Αφιέρομα στο Βάσο Καραγιώργη, 211-215. Λευκωσία: Εταιρεία Κυπριακών Σπουδών.]
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