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Chicago's Persian heritage crisis (تاراج سرمايه باستانی ايران در شيکاگو in Persian) refers to a threat to seize invaluable Persian antiquities kept at University of Chicago by the US federal court and also a threat to numerous other Persian antiquities kept in Field museum in Chicago. It has been seen by Iranians as an example for the hostility of US federal court system toward Iranian people and Persian heritage.
Background
Similar cases of antiques of other countries in US
The Metropolitan Museum of Arts and The J. Paul Getty Museum hold several Italian antiques. In 2006 The Metropolitan Museum of Arts committed to return these invaluable pieces to Italy.*Persian antiques in US
US holds many Persian masterpieces as loan in its museums and Iranology departments.International laws
According to the UNESCO convention on "Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property", transfer of ownership of any and all Persian antiques is illegal.*University of Chicago's case
The Achaemenid tablets owned by the University of Chicago were discovered by archaeologists in the 1930s and are legally the property of the National Museum of Iran and the Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. The university's Oriental Institute had been returning them to Iran in small batches. **
The university however, in light of the new ruling, has argued that seizing the tablets would frighten foreign museums away from loans to U.S. institutions, and that U.S.-owned objects overseas might also be seized.
The case of the Field Museum
The case of Chicago's Field Museum is however different. It faces a similar lawsuit, but argues that its Persian collection was bought on the open market and is not owned by Iran.
US government responsibility and position
The executive branch of the US government, in particular the US State Department have been supportive of the University of Chicago in this case.
See also
External links
- Oriental Institute of The University of Chicago
- Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
- BBC reports: Chicago's Persian heritage crisis
- Fars News Agency reports: Iranian Antiquities May Be Seized in Suit
- United Press International reports: Iranian antiquities may be seized in suit
- The Chicago Tribune reports: Persian treasure trove on the line at U. of C. (requires registration)
- Report by Chicago Sun Times
- Report by The Australian
- Petition to US Supreme Court for preserving the cultural heritages of humanity
- Correspondence between National Museum of Iran and University of Chicago
- Manouchehr Mottaki: Iran warns of reciprocation if US denies assets
- ISNA reports: The US Court ruling is a political move *
- Iranian.com interview in 2004: Going home: On University of Chicago's return of ancient tablets to Iran
- Hamid Reza Assefi of Iran's Foreign Affairs Ministry: We will pursue these events at UN's headquarters and in UNESCO
- Prosecutor General of Iran's Supreme Court: These events are an assault on the cultural heritage of Iran
- Iran asked UNESCO to step in (BBC Persian)
- Illegal decision of a judge
- Confiscation of Iranian Historic Artifacts in US
"Chicago's Persian heritage crisis"