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Looted Ethiopian Crown Resurfaces in the Netherlands Looted Ethiopian Crown Resurfaces in the Netherlands
(5 days later)
AMSTERDAM — In 1998, Sirak Asfaw, a Dutch civil servant who was born in Ethiopia, noticed something shiny in the suitcase of a guest who was staying at his house. Curious, he opened the case to find a glittering gilded crown inside.AMSTERDAM — In 1998, Sirak Asfaw, a Dutch civil servant who was born in Ethiopia, noticed something shiny in the suitcase of a guest who was staying at his house. Curious, he opened the case to find a glittering gilded crown inside.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Mr. Sirak, who moved to the Netherlands a political refugee in the 1970s, said in a recent interview in Amsterdam. “I felt betrayed. Using my house to smuggle cultural heritage from Ethiopia? I knew it had something to do with Ethiopian history, the Ethiopian kingdom. I knew this is not good.”“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Mr. Sirak, who moved to the Netherlands a political refugee in the 1970s, said in a recent interview in Amsterdam. “I felt betrayed. Using my house to smuggle cultural heritage from Ethiopia? I knew it had something to do with Ethiopian history, the Ethiopian kingdom. I knew this is not good.”
Mr. Sirak said that he felt he couldn’t return the crown to the Ethiopian authorities, because he suspected that the government might have been complicit in the theft, and he feared that it would be stolen again.Mr. Sirak said that he felt he couldn’t return the crown to the Ethiopian authorities, because he suspected that the government might have been complicit in the theft, and he feared that it would be stolen again.
He also didn’t want to hand it over to the Dutch authorities, because he worried that a museum would keep the crown forever rather than returning it when a new Ethiopian government was in place.He also didn’t want to hand it over to the Dutch authorities, because he worried that a museum would keep the crown forever rather than returning it when a new Ethiopian government was in place.
So Mr. Sirak locked the visitor out of his house, he said, and removed the crown from the suitcase. He did not identify the smuggler to The New York Times for fear of his safety, and said he didn’t know how his guest had acquired it.So Mr. Sirak locked the visitor out of his house, he said, and removed the crown from the suitcase. He did not identify the smuggler to The New York Times for fear of his safety, and said he didn’t know how his guest had acquired it.
For 21 years, he hid it in his home. “When I saw it, I always felt very emotional,” he said. “I knew it shouldn’t be here, not in my house, not in the Netherlands.”For 21 years, he hid it in his home. “When I saw it, I always felt very emotional,” he said. “I knew it shouldn’t be here, not in my house, not in the Netherlands.”
Last year, after Ethiopia installed a new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, Mr. Sirak decided that it was time to try to return the crown, confident that the new government would handle the return properly, he said.Last year, after Ethiopia installed a new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, Mr. Sirak decided that it was time to try to return the crown, confident that the new government would handle the return properly, he said.
He contacted an independent Dutch art crimes investigator, Arthur Brand, who placed the crown in a high-security art facility in the Netherlands and alerted the Dutch police.He contacted an independent Dutch art crimes investigator, Arthur Brand, who placed the crown in a high-security art facility in the Netherlands and alerted the Dutch police.
Toon van Wijk, a spokesman for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in an email exchange with The Times that officials were investigating. “Authenticity must be determined in cooperation with the Ethiopian authorities,” he said. “Once the investigation has been completed, we must look at the next steps.”Toon van Wijk, a spokesman for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in an email exchange with The Times that officials were investigating. “Authenticity must be determined in cooperation with the Ethiopian authorities,” he said. “Once the investigation has been completed, we must look at the next steps.”
The Ethiopian ambassador to the Netherlands, Abay Weldu Hagos, said in a telephone interview that discussions were underway with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture to return the work either to the church from which it was stolen or to a museum in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian ambassador to the Netherlands, Million Samuel Gebre, said in a telephone interview that discussions were underway with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture to return the work either to the church from which it was stolen or to a museum in Ethiopia.
“It’s up to Ethiopian stakeholders to decide where it should go,” he said.“It’s up to Ethiopian stakeholders to decide where it should go,” he said.
Jacopo Gnisci, a research associate at Oxford University who specializes in Ethiopian artifacts, examined the crown in Amsterdam a few weeks ago and said he thought it was authentic.Jacopo Gnisci, a research associate at Oxford University who specializes in Ethiopian artifacts, examined the crown in Amsterdam a few weeks ago and said he thought it was authentic.
He believes it was probably a liturgical crown used in Orthodox Christian ceremonies. Mr. Gnisci also tracked down a photograph in which a priest is wearing the crown in 1993, a few years before it disappeared.He believes it was probably a liturgical crown used in Orthodox Christian ceremonies. Mr. Gnisci also tracked down a photograph in which a priest is wearing the crown in 1993, a few years before it disappeared.
The crown was probably stolen in the 1990s from a church in the village of Cheleqot, 75 miles from the border with Eritrea, Mr. Gnisci said.The crown was probably stolen in the 1990s from a church in the village of Cheleqot, 75 miles from the border with Eritrea, Mr. Gnisci said.
The researcher said it was a rare object, one of only about 20 such liturgical crowns in existence.The researcher said it was a rare object, one of only about 20 such liturgical crowns in existence.
“If I had to put a price tag on it, I’d say 40,000 to 50,000 euros” — about $44,000 to $55,000 — Mr. Gnisci said in a telephone interview. That figure, he said, “is at the highest possible end of the market for Ethiopian artifacts, just under the price you’d fetch for an illuminated manuscript.”“If I had to put a price tag on it, I’d say 40,000 to 50,000 euros” — about $44,000 to $55,000 — Mr. Gnisci said in a telephone interview. That figure, he said, “is at the highest possible end of the market for Ethiopian artifacts, just under the price you’d fetch for an illuminated manuscript.”
The object has surfaced at a time of increased international debate about the return of African art and artifacts to their places of origin.The object has surfaced at a time of increased international debate about the return of African art and artifacts to their places of origin.
President Emmanuel Macron of France made a pledge in 2017 that he would prioritize the “temporary or permanent restitution” of African artifacts to their countries of origin within the next five years. A report, commissioned by Mr. Macron and released in 2018, recommended the return of some objects from French museums.President Emmanuel Macron of France made a pledge in 2017 that he would prioritize the “temporary or permanent restitution” of African artifacts to their countries of origin within the next five years. A report, commissioned by Mr. Macron and released in 2018, recommended the return of some objects from French museums.
But “not much further has happened” since then, said Dr. Barbara Plankensteiner, a former curator of African art at Yale University Art Gallery.But “not much further has happened” since then, said Dr. Barbara Plankensteiner, a former curator of African art at Yale University Art Gallery.
Nevertheless, she added, “the whole environment in public opinion and among political decision makers is much more open to restitution now than it was five years ago.”Nevertheless, she added, “the whole environment in public opinion and among political decision makers is much more open to restitution now than it was five years ago.”
Ethiopian officials have been working with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to seek the return of 19th-century Ethiopian objects, including a crown, a chalice, a wedding dress and jewelry, that were looted by British troops. This year the museum’s director, Tristram Hunt, said he was discussing a plan to loan the works to Addis Ababa for a temporary exhibition.Ethiopian officials have been working with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to seek the return of 19th-century Ethiopian objects, including a crown, a chalice, a wedding dress and jewelry, that were looted by British troops. This year the museum’s director, Tristram Hunt, said he was discussing a plan to loan the works to Addis Ababa for a temporary exhibition.
In April, the National Army Museum in London returned two locks of hair from the head of a 19th-century Ethiopian emperor, which had been a part of its collection, after a request from the country.In April, the National Army Museum in London returned two locks of hair from the head of a 19th-century Ethiopian emperor, which had been a part of its collection, after a request from the country.
Mr. Gnisci said he thought the Ethiopian crown found by Mr. Sirak would be a test of Ethiopia’s ability to care for such objects.Mr. Gnisci said he thought the Ethiopian crown found by Mr. Sirak would be a test of Ethiopia’s ability to care for such objects.
“There are a number of really important medieval ecclesiastical sites and ecclesiastical treasures that are every day at risk of destruction because of neglect and a lack of conservation measures,” Mr. Gnisci said. “There’s a lot more work that needs to be done in the country, so hopefully this will encourage the government to work more closely and more carefully on its heritage.”“There are a number of really important medieval ecclesiastical sites and ecclesiastical treasures that are every day at risk of destruction because of neglect and a lack of conservation measures,” Mr. Gnisci said. “There’s a lot more work that needs to be done in the country, so hopefully this will encourage the government to work more closely and more carefully on its heritage.”
Mr. Sirak said he would like for the crown to be given to the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.Mr. Sirak said he would like for the crown to be given to the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.
“That’s the safest place for it, but I trust that the Ethiopian government will take care of it,” he said. “Now it is in safe hands, and I’m a bit relieved.”“That’s the safest place for it, but I trust that the Ethiopian government will take care of it,” he said. “Now it is in safe hands, and I’m a bit relieved.”