Ancient Donation Subject Of Lawsuit

[Bianca]

                                           Ancient donation subject of lawsuit






Jan. 7, 2009
Tekirdag,
Turkey

A journalist who found a historical crater vase in the garden of his house and donated it to the Tekirdağ Ethnography Museum is now asking for money nearly 20 years later and has filed a lawsuit against the museum

 Journalist Fahir Taner has filed a lawsuit to claim compensation for a 2,500-year-old crater vase, which he donated to a museum in 1989. Taner, 86, who lives in the northwestern city of Tekirdağ, found the vase while digging a well for his garden and donated it to the Tekirdağ Ethnography Museum.

Then in April 2006, Taner filed a petition to the museum directorate and asked about the value of the crater vase. But the Culture and Tourism Ministry said he would not be paid for the artifact. Taner filed a lawsuit last year in Ankara for compensation for the historical artifact.

Speaking to the Anatolia News Agency, Tekirdağ Ethnography Museum Director Akif Işın said the historical vase, which Taner delivered Feb. 2, 1989, was registered as a donation. He said they held the official document about the donation and that Taner was also given the copy of the same document.

[Bianca]

From 5th century BC



Işın said the crater vase was from the fifth century B.C. "The vase has been restored by experts at the Istanbul Restoration Center and is on display in the museum. Also on the same day, the museum delivered some broken pieces from Taner. The museum used them for some studies. Taner filed a petition to the museum in April 2006 to get money for the artifact. Upon this request, the Culture and Tourism Ministry declared that he would not be paid money for his donation. We also have these official letters in the museum. However, Taner has filed a lawsuit in the Ankara Administrative Court. We don’t understand his manner or that he demands money after long years."

Işın said the artifact was registered as a donation in all official documents of the museum, and that Taner’s name was also mentioned in the showcase where the vase was on display. "A German magazine named Archaologischer Anzeiger has published the photos of the vase, and written that it had been donated by Taner to the museum," he said.

Journalist Taner said the Yamanlar district, where his house is located, was an accommodation place called Makusara in the 5th century B.C.He said he found the crater vase in 1960 while digging a well for his garden, and that many foreigners asked him to sell it. "I didn’t want to sell it to foreign people. Two professors from the University of Colorado in the United States have come here and taken photos of it. Later on, one day I received a letter from the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage and Museums. They asked about the photos of the artifact. Although I am a collector, I considered the difficulty of preserving such an historical item and gave it to the museum," Taner said.

Taner said alongside the crater vase, he also gave 16 pieces to the museum. "I was given a written document showing that I delivered the artifacts to the museum. According to my studies, the vase is worth 2 million Turkish lira. The court case is still in progress now."