The Nine Lives of the Tenth Muse: The Provenance of P.Sapph.Obbink

Presenter

Abigail Elizabeth D’Angelo

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Melissa Mueller, Department of Classics, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 3, 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C27, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 3 (C21-C30) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

My poster will be outlining key points of P.Sapph.Obbink's varying stories of provenance, which combined with an illustration of the pattern of looting, smuggling, and laundering of cultural artifacts will pose questions of social and ethical concern in regards to understanding how we perceive provenance.
When the 2014 discovery of four new papyri fragments containing large portions of two poems by Archaic Greek poet Sappho sparked international attention from Classicist and members of the public alike, the intrigue and interest in Sappho reignited passion for the curiosities of the distant past. But as quickly as they emerged in scholastic works, the anonymous original owner sold the fragments at a Christie’s auction, having disappeared from public purview completely. However, the discovery’s unconvincing and unconfirmed provenance has led some scholars to doubt the legitimacy – and legality – of these fragments. The mysteries behind these fragments are not unprecedented – the questions being asked are representative of a larger social, political, and economic climate which enables the illicit excavation, smuggling, and laundering of cultural antiquities for the massive profit of wealthy private collectors. Through using the infamous example of Sappho's 2014 discovery, I will summarize the conflicting and complex issues which arise in these discussions and some proposed solutions. 

Keywords

provenance, museums, antiquities trade, criminal justice, international law

Research Area

History

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