UNPROVIENIENCED ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS IN MUSEUMS: A CASE STUDY OF THE BAUMGARDNER COLLECTION by CHRISTINA KAHRL BRODY, B.A. A THESIS IN MUSEUM SCIENCE Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved Accepted Dean of the Graduate School August, 2002 Copyright 2002, Chnstina Kahrl Brody ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank certain individuals without whom this work would not have been possible. First and foremost, Dr. Eileen Johnson, my indefatigable advisor, who is responsible for aspects of this work that are organized, logical, and coherent. Gary Edson's advising and vision allowed for an enriching and enjoyable graduate experience. Nancy Reed's article, "Classical Vases in the Collection of the Museum, Texas Tech University" (1987), was the inspiration for this thesis and her scholarship and teaching fostered the conception and completion of this work. The faculty and staff of the Museum of Texas Tech University generously volunteered support and served as Inspirations for this project. A special thanks to Linda Lamb, Claudia Corey, and Susan Hoke for helping me navigate administrative enigmas. Nicky Ladkin, Denise Newsome, and Jim Stanton taught invaluable life and career skills and offered priceless guidance. I will forever cherish the time they spent with me. Thanks also go to Jim Wiseman and Michal Artzy for providing an ideal environment, at Boston University and the University of Haifa, respectively, in which to research this work. I would like to acknowledge the Marcus-Brody Foundation for advice, fabulous meals, and more exposure to Early and Middle Bronze Age pottery than one should safely be allowed. Without the support and constant pestering of loving and infinitely patient family members (Kahrls, Brodys, Wilsons), this work never would have been completed. Finally, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my confidant, advisor, proofreader, research librarian, font-of-all-knowledge, my encouragement, my balance, and my husband - Aaron. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT ix LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 Unprovenienced Archaeological Collections 2 Historical Background 3 The Value of Unprovenienced Archaeological Collections 5 Manners of Acquisition 9 The Collection 12 Goals and Objectives 14 Summary 16 II. THEORY AND METHODOLOGY 18 Theoretical Perspective 18 Museum Material Cultural Studies 18 Museum Ethical and Legal Studies 30 Research Methodology 34 Material Cultural Study 34 Ethics and Legislation 37 Ethics and Laws in the United States 38 Israel and Italy-Legal Concerns 41 IV Summary 43 MATERIAL CULTURE STUDY OF THE BAUMGARDNER COLLECTION 46 Identification 47 Metals 47 Weapons 47 Coins 50 Glass 58 Bottles 58 Ceramic 64 Vessels 64 Bowl 64 Ladle 64 Juglets 73 Lamps 85 Summary 96 Cultural Context 96 Metals 100 Bronze Age Narrow Dagger 100 Coins 102 Silver Coin of Nero 103 Silver Coin of Domitian 105 Silver Coin of Trajan 108 Unknown Bronze Coin 111 Glass 112 Unguentaria 112 Tear Drop Unguentarium 112 Candlestick Unguentarium 114 Ceramic 116 Vessels 116 Fish Plate 116 Daunian Attingitoio 119 Juglets 120 Early Bronze Age Juglet 120 Middle Bronze Age Juglet 122 Local Imitation of a Cypriot Bilbil 124 Apulian Red-Figure Epichysis 126 Lamps 127 Palestinian Lamp 127 Herodian Lamp 131 Darom Lamp 133 Umayyad Lamp 134 Interpretation 136 Metals 137 Bronze Age Narrow Dagger 137 Coins 138 Glass 139 Ceramic 140 Vessels 140 Fish Plate 140 Daunian Attingitoio 141 Juglets 143 Early Bronze Age Juglet 143 Middle Bronze Age Juglet 143 Local Imitation of a Cypriot Bilbil 144 Apulian Red-Figure Epichysis 144 Lamps 145 Palestinian Lamp 145 Herodian Lamp 146 Darom Lamp 146 Umayyad Lamp 147 Conclusions 147 Historical Overview of Baumgardner Collection 147 Assessment of Material Cultural Study 156 VI IV. ETHICS AND LAWS 161 Ethics 161 Nature of United States Museums 162 Ethical Codes 163 Museum Ethics-Professional Positions 165 Museum Ethics-Professional Organizations 169 Archaeological Ethics 172 Art Histoncal Ethics 174 Ethical Codes Summary 177 United States Law 180 General Federal Legislation 180 Title 181 Theft 183 Forgeries 187 Illegal Transportation 188 Archaeological Federal Legislation 191 The Antiquities Act 191 The Archaeological Resource Protection Act 193 The Cultural Property Implementation Act 198 Archaeological Federal Law Summary 204 United States Law Summary 206 International Treaties 208 The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of an Armed Conflict 209 The Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 212 The UNIDROIT Convention of 1995 216 International Treaties Summary 219 Italy and Israel-Legal Considerations 219 Israeli National Legislation 220 Italian National Legislation 222 VII International Treaties 224 Multilateral Agreements 224 Bilateral Agreements 226 International Treaties Summary 227 Conclusions 228 Law and Ethics-Applications for the Baumgardner Collection 228 V. CONCLUSIONS 238 LITERATURE CITED 244 VIM ABSTRACT Unprovenienced archaeological collections present a unique set of opportunities and challenges for museums. Often stolen, illegally excavated, and/or illicitly transported, these are collections for which no origin-identifying documentation is known. While ethically and legally problematic, these collections, nonetheless, hold significant teaching potential for museums. The educational value of these types of collections warrants a closer look at the practice of ignoring potential benefits of unprovenienced archaeological collections. The goal of this study was to illustrate the assets and liabilities of unprovenienced archaeological collections for museums, through three objectives. The first objective was a material culture examination of the Baumgardner Collection at the Museum of Texas Tech University. The second objective was a study of the ethical and legal considerations in museum acquisition of unprovenienced archaeological collections. The third objective was an assessment of the importance of unprovenienced archaeological collections for museums. ix LIST OF TABLES 3.1 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-01 48 3.2 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-02 51 3.3 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-03 53 3.4 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-04 56 3.5 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-05 59 3.6 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-06 60 3.7 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-07 62 3.8 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-08 65 3.9 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-09 67 3.10 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-10 74 3.11 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-11 77 3.12 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-12 79 3.13 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-13 82 3.14 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-14 86 3.15 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-15 88 3.16 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-16 91 3.17 Notations for identification of object TTU-1997-026-17 94 3.18 Provenience of the objects in the Baumgardner Collection 97 XI LIST OF FIGURES 2.1 Fleming's (1974) model for material cultural study 21 2.2 Elliott et al.'s (1985) model for material cultural study 23 2.3 Pearce's (1986) model for material cultural study 25 2.4 Furst's (1991) model for the study of matehal culture 26 2.5 Material cultural study model 28 3.1 Object TTU-1997-026-01 49 3.2 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-01 49 3.3 Object TTU-1997-026-02 52 3.4 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-02 52 3.5 Object TTU-1997-026-03 54 3.6 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-03 54 3.7 Object TTU-1997-026-04 57 3.8 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-04 57 3.9 Object TTU-1997-026-05 59 3.10 Object TTU-1997-026-06 61 XII 3.11 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-06 61 3.12 Object TTU-1997-026-07 63 3.13 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-07 63 3.14 Object TTU-1997-026-08 66 3.15 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-08 66 3.16 Object TTU-1997-026-09 70 3.17 Sketches of object TTU-1997-026-09 71 3.18 Object TTU-1997-026-10 75 3.19 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-10 75 3.20 Object TTU-1997-026-11 78 3.21 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-11 78 3.22 Object TTU-1997-026-12 80 3.23 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-12 80 3.24 Object TTU-1997-026-13 84 3.25 Sketches of object TTU-1997-026-13 84 3.26 Object TTU-1997-026-14 87 3.27 Sketches of object TTU-1997-026-14 87 XIII 3.28 Object TTU-1997-026-15 89 3.29 Sketch of object TTU-1997-026-15 89 3.30 Object TTU-1997-026-16 92 3.31 Sketches of object TTU-1997-026-16 92 3.32 Object TTU-1997-026-17 95 3.33 Sketches of object TTU-1997-026-17 95 XIV CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A museum by nature is a collecting, preserving, educating, and researching body, in the practice of caring for and exhibiting objects and specimens. The collecting duty of a museum suggests that the acquisition of objects and specimens is common practice in museums. However, as museums also are engaged in preserving, educating, and researching, time and financial restraints ensure that they are not always able to act as the primary collector of material. Because museum staff may not generate all field collections all the time, museums may acquire collections whose exact source is unknown or questionable (Martin, 1984:112).