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THE INSTITUTE of Archaeology in London went to Christies, the auction
house, last week and became the first British research unit to organise
a sale of antiquities. The lots were donated from private collections to
help to raise funds to build a Pounds sterling 5 million Centre for Conservation
and Museum Science.

The move generated contro versy among some archaeolo gists. ‘It is extremely
worrying that an academic institution has got involved with selling antiquities,’
said Tim Schadla-Hall, chairman of the Society of Museum Archaeologists.
‘It is guilt by association.’ Archaeologists are fighting a losing battle
to halt a booming London trade in looted antiquities, he added.

‘The objects had no academic value and no known provenance,’ said David
Harris, director of the Institute of Archaeology. He says they were turned
down by the British Museum for its collection.

The figure (right) is a bronze Egyptian statuette of Osiris.