At least during the summer months, even the replacement temporary exhibition attracted 800-1,200 visitors a day; but there was and is a temporary collection, because the museum has been closed since 13th November 2006.

On my blog post on the non-resignation of Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos, Greek crisis blogger Heidi commented that he had ‘never been an appropriate leader‘. She was kind enough to explain in detail:

we have major museums and sites closing for years and years. The Arch Mus of Herakleion – the most important museum in the country after the NAMA, has been closed for YEARS – I think since 2007? and no effort is made to make progress on the building.

Indeed, it has been ‘closed for interior renovation‘ since 13th November 2006. That is inexplicable (in terms of tourism as well as culture); and neither Heraklion Municipality nor the Ministry of Culture and Tourism really explain the years of closure beyond ‘renovation works‘.

Previous Culture Minister Georgios Voulgarakis originally promised that the museum ‘would not shut at all during the tourist season’, and that it would reopen in autumn 2008; but then it shut completely. Then Culture Minister Michalis Liapis said that it would reopen in 2010 (but Museum Director Nota Demopoulou said that ‘funding [was] inadequate‘.

(Seemingly, nothing happened on Antonis Samaras’s watch.)

In the bureaucracy’s defence, during the renovation works, they rediscovered and had to deal with the Monastery of Saint Francis underneath the museum; so, they had to change the renovation programme; then, the original architectural/building consortium withdrew…

By this time last year, the Central Archaeological Council had approved the landscaping work; and Secretary-General of Culture, Lina Mendoni expected the finally ‘approved and contracted‘ structural work to be done by last summer, when the tendering for the interior work would begin.

The Council, the Secretary-General and the local community has been pressing for the work finally to be finished and the museum finally to be reopened; but it has not. It cannot happen soon enough, for the sake of Crete’s public education and, especially acutely right now, for its tourist economy.

If anyone wants to visit, there is a ‘small temporary exhibition’ in a room on the northern side of the museum, which can be entered via Iosif Chatzidaki Street. It does have beautiful artefacts.

Meg considers Geroulanos’s (attempted) resignation ‘cowardly and ineffective’, ‘essentially an admission that he was unwilling to support his country throughout this difficult time’; and she hopes ‘a much stronger replacement can be found’ as soon as possible.

I certainly agree that his resignation would have been ineffective (at best); but I have not seen or heard anything to suggest he was personally responsible for the security problems.

The local archaeologists had warned the Culture Ministry that ‘because of the prevailing economic conditions [λόγω των επικρατουσών οικονομικών συνθηκών]‘ – because of the 44% cut in security staff – Greece’s cultural institutions and sites were vulnerable; but the only thing Geroulanos could have done then was… resign in protest.

Responsibility lies with the entire austerity government; or, more precisely, with the EU/ECB/IMF troika that has driven Greece into this disaster.

Operational adjustments; or, installing CCTV

H ληστεία στην #Olympia μας φέρνει αντιμέτωπους με νέα δεδομένα σε θέματα ασφαλείας της πολιτιστικής μας κληρονομιάς bit.ly/Ak3UGk—
Pavlos Yeroulanos (@P_Yeroulanos) February 22, 2012

In his statement on the refusal of his resignation, Geroulanos implied that the armed robbery of the Olympic museum had given the state a new insight into the vulnerability of Greece’s cultural heritage. But, as noted, that was not a new insight.

And he said that he had taken on ‘political responsibility’, an ‘additional political obligation’, for the ‘security and care of our cultural heritage’. Yet, surely, that is the most basic, and the most fundamental, responsibility of the Culture Ministry.

Apparently, the Ministry and the police have made the ‘operational adjustments’ necessary to safeguard the country’s cultural heritage in the age of austerity.(1)

The Associated Press (AP) went into (slightly) more detail on the new security measures:

a task force set up to review security at museums and archaeological sites recommended increasing surveillance at archaeological museums, improving guard training and upgrading closed-circuit TV and fire detection systems.

(Hat tip, @ArchaeoinAction and @archaeologynews, for their links.)

Those are not technical issues; those are not complicated matters, where risky decisions must be made based upon limited, confusing data. Those are the most basic security measures. Greek governments have (or the Greek state has) taken the country’s cultural heritage for granted for years. And now, when Greece’s museums and, especially, archaeological sites lie neglected and endangered, Greece has lost its sovereignty.

1:

The political responsibility that I undertook, after the non-acceptance of my resignation by the Prime Minister, does not disappear but translates into an additional political obligation. The armed robbery at the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of Antiquity in Olympia, the first armed robbery of a museum, confronts us with new data on the subjects of the security and care of our cultural heritage.

Cultural leaders and workers, together, must face these facts in such a way that safeguards the cultural wealth of our country together with its emotional value at a time that can become a source of strength for all of us. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in cooperation with the Police, have made the moves and those operational adjustments that are needed for us to be satisfied that the systems, the procedures and the staff, are at the level of security demanded by the new era that our country is traversing.

[Η πολιτική ευθύνη που ανέλαβα, μετά τη μη αποδοχή της παραίτησής μου από τον Πρωθυπουργό, δεν εξέλιπε αλλά μεταφράζεται σε επιπλέον πολιτική υποχρέωση. Η ένοπλη ληστεία στο Μουσείο Ιστορίας Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων της Αρχαιότητας στην Ολυμπία, η πρώτη ένοπλη ληστεία σε μουσείο, μας φέρνει αντιμέτωπους με νέα δεδομένα στα θέματα ασφαλείας και φύλαξης της πολιτιστικής μας κληρονομιάς.

Πολιτική ηγεσία και εργαζόμενοι, μαζί, οφείλουμε να αντιμετωπίσουμε αυτά τα δεδομένα με τέτοιο τρόπο ο οποίος θα διασφαλίζει τον πολιτιστικό πλούτο της χώρας μας μαζί και τη συναισθηματική του αξία σε μια περίοδο που μπορεί να γίνει πηγή δύναμης για όλους μας. Το ΥΠΠΟΤ και σε συνεργασία με την Αστυνομία, έχει προβεί στις κινήσεις και τις επιχειρησιακές εκείνες προσαρμογές που απαιτούνται μέχρι να είμαστε ικανοποιημένοι ότι τα συστήματα, οι διαδικασίες και το προσωπικό, είναι στο επίπεδο ασφαλείας που απαιτεί η νέα εποχή που διανύει η χώρα μας.]

They hope the guard will identify him; but given he was wearing a camouflage uniform and a ski mask, presumably she would have to identify him by his eyes; or maybe his voice?

More news as it comes in.

Albanian armed robbers of jewellers

Update (24th February 2012): the suspect is a ‘former convict of Albanian origin‘. (Hat tip, Archaeology News Network.) He is suspected of ‘two other armed robberies [άλλες δύο ένοπλες ληστείες]‘ – one in Olympia, one in Krestena.

At the time of the arrest, Kathimerini reported that the police ‘ha[d]n’t been able to recover anything leading to the suspects’, despite having collected and analysed forensic evidence from the crime scene; but that the police continued ‘scouring the area for evidence‘.

Circumstantial evidence

Skai explained how,

In both cases [of jewellery shop robberies] the perpetrators used sledgehammers, threatened passers-by, shot into the air with Kalashnikovs to intimidate [people] and managed to escape by minor roads, which they knew in every detail. As with the bandits of the museum of Ancient Olympia.(2)

The robbers did threaten and assault the museum guard; but none of the other English and Greek-language reports mentioned or implied that the museum robbers threatened passers-by or fired their Kalashnikov(s). Still, there are obvious similarities in the methods of the crimes.

Cloth, duct tape, fingerprints?

More critically, there is apparently conclusive forensic evidence. According to the police,

Around the sledgehammers, they [the robbers] had stuck pieces of cloth with tape, in order to reduce the noise of the strikes on the display cases.

When the robbers immobilised the guard and started to smash the display cases, one of the pieces of fabric fell off in the museum and stayed there…. They [the police] hope that when they [the robbers] stuck the fabric to the sledgehammers, they were not wearing gloves.(3)

Luckily for the police, according to Ethnikos Kiryx, they have been able to identify the suspect by ‘the fingerprints that were found on the cloth and the duct tape [τα αποτυπώματα που βρέθηκαν στο ύφασμα και την μονωτική ταινία]‘. (Ethnikos Kiryx also noted they had ‘identified footprints from three different people [εντόπισε πατημασιές από τρία διαφορετικά άτομα]‘ – the two robbers and the getaway driver.) (Hat tip, Ellas.)

Were the looters incompetent, or was the collector?

The prosecutors share my perception that this robbery was not done by ‘experienced looters who knew what to take from the galleries of the museum [έμπειρους αρχαιοκάπηλους που γνώριζαν τι θα πάρουν από τις αίθουσες του μουσείου]‘.

Ethnikos Kiryx, however, counsels that it is still possible that the two robbers were ‘hired by a collector, in order to grab the gold wreath and the collection of stamps [μισθώθηκε από συλλέκτη, προκειμένου να αρπάξει δηλαδή το χρυσό στεφάνι και τη σειρά γραμματοσήμων].’  In that case, though, the collector would have been incompetent, unaware of where gold wreaths were found and displayed in Greece, and what was in the Olympic museum.

Etc.

I do not know how I have been behind the news, as I have been searching regularly and following archaeologists and journalists. But, for example, according to Google, between the 17th and the 24th of February 2012, there was only one relevant result for Ολυμπία+ληστεία+Αλβανός (which must be wrong). I think it may be missing updates of articles at the same web address; I have no idea. Anyway, I have belatedly set up Google alerts for Olympia+museum and Olympia+robbery; I will set up some Greek-language ones as well.

Footnotes

1: according to police, they reviewed ‘seven minutes of CCTV footage’ (which may have been the footage of the suspect; the entire raid may have taken more than seven minutes). But again, they could not identify him by the CCTV footage, so I am not confident that the guard will be able to.

2: ‘Και στις δύο περιπτώσεις οι δράστες χρησιμοποίησαν βαριοπούλες, απείλησαν περαστικούς, πυροβόλησαν στον αέρα για εκφοβισμό με καλάσνικοφ και κατάφεραν να διαφύγουν από μη κεντρικούς δρόμους, τους οποίους γνώριζαν με κάθε λεπτομέρεια. Όπως και με τους ληστές του μουσείου της Αρχαίας Ολυμπίας.’

3: ‘Γύρω από τις βαριοπούλες, είχαν κολλήσει με ταινία κομμάτια υφάσματος, για να μειώνεται ο θόρυβος από τα χτυπήματα στις προθήκες. Όταν οι ληστές ακινητοποίησαν τη φύλακα και άρχισαν να σπάνε τις προθήκες, ένα από τα κομμάτια του υφάσματος έπεσε στο μουσείο και έμεινε εκεί…. Ελπίζουν ότι όταν κόλλησαν το ύφασμα στις βαριοπούλες, δεν φορούσαν γάντια.’

It is not clear whether it was a comment on Greek society in general; or a complaint that the Greek elite had ‘made a monkey out of’ Papandreou; or an attempt to ‘make a monkey out of’ him. At least one Anonymous (Ανώνυμος) commentator on the Anti-New World Order (Αντί-Νέα Τάξη Πραγμάτων) website made explicit reference to the ‘fucked-up film!!! The Planet of the Apes [Γαμάτη ταινία!!! ο πλανήτης των πιθήκων].’ Perhaps it was an oblique reference to the revolt in the Conquest of the Planet of the Apes…

But even if it is an Apes reference, its point is not clear because, thanks to the Simpsons, the Planet of the Apes is now associated with the insistence that ‘you’ll never make a monkey out of me!’

1. to trace the car (and thus learn the escape route; then find the car unburned, and recover DNA…);
2. to get a tip-off; or
3. to identify the robbers by the records of phone calls to the museum in the week leading up to the robbery.

The police are anonymously briefing that it was a ‘professional heist‘; but the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is anonymously briefing precisely that it was an amateur ‘hold-up rather than a professional museum heist’.

The police argue that it was a professional heist because the thieves were looking for artefacts that were ‘not being shown‘ (but were somewhere to be found).

The Ministry of Culture argues that it was an amateur hold-up for the very same reason, because the thieves were looking for artefacts that were ‘not part of the display‘ and ‘[did] not exist‘ (anywhere in the museum). I tend to agree with the Ministry.

But the police’s claims raise even more basic questions (which the mainstream media do not appear to have asked). The robbery started at 7.34; and the guard rang the police just after 7.50; then the police established roadblocks ‘in Olympia and neighbouring regions‘. So, between 7.34 and 7.51(?) – in the space of about 17 minutes – the thieves evidently managed to:

07.34-07.35? enter the museum;
07.35-07.36? subdue and tie up the guard;
07.36-07.37? assault and interrogate the guard;
07.37-07.42? smash through the reinforced glass of 6 display cases across 5 rooms, carefully gathering and bagging 77 artefacts without damage;
07.42-07.45? search for more material;
07.45-07.46? leave the museum on foot; and,
07.46-07.47? when far enough away that the car was out of earshot of the guard, meet a getaway driver and escape.

How long did it take for the local and regional roadblocks to be established? Did the robbers make it out of the western Peleponnese before the roadblocks were established? Or did they get stopped at the roadblocks, but somehow make their way through? Or were the police only able to block the major roads, thus leaving the robbers free to disappear along the minor roads?

Why do the police and the Culture Ministry have tragicomically contrary interpretations of the crime? Is the Ministry trying to make the criminals look less dangerous than they are, in order for Greek cultural heritage to look less endangered than it is? Or are the police trying to make the criminals look more effective than they are, in order for the police to look less ineffective than they are?

And, if it was a professional heist feeding the international art market, why did the Greek authorities publish their announcement and artefact descriptions only in Greek? Why did I, an unemployed archaeologist at the other end of the continent, have to translate them into English? Either the robbers were incompetent, or the Greek authorities are negligent.

Update (22nd February 2012): I asked the Greek police and the (former) culture minister why I had to translate their appeal for information (at 9.05am, 22nd February 2012); but I have not received an explanation (as of 5.45pm, 22nd February 2012).

.@astynomia @P_Yeroulanos if Olympia Museum robbery was pro heist for international market, why did *I* have to translate the artefact info?—
Sam Hardy (@samarkeolog) February 22, 2012

I also notified the police that two of their appeal photographs were duplicates of other artefacts’ photos (via their hotline address, financialpolice@hellenicpolice.gr, at 12.45pm, 21st February 2012); again, I have not received a reply, or seen a correction (as of 5.45pm, 22nd February 2012).

Update (23rd February 2012): Prime Minister Lucas Papademos rejected Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos’s resignation.

Note 1: photographs 61 and 62 are the same; photo 62 is an upload error.

Note 2: I cannot see clearly enough to be sure, but I think photographs 71 and 72 are the same; I think photo 71 is an upload error.

1 K 6990 CLAY LAMP height = 2.7 cm diameter of the base = 5.5 cm

2 K 6143 CLAY LAMP height = 2 cm diameter of the base = 5.2cm

3 K 3066 CLAY LAMP height = 2.2 cm Diameter = 8.4 cm

4 K 5409 CLAY LAMP Archaic period height = 3.2 cm diameter of the base = 4.5 cm

5 K 6156 CLAY LAMP height = 2.5 cm diameter of the base = 5.4 cm

6 K 7046 CLAY LAMP height = 2.7 cm diameter of the base = 4.4 cm

7 K 5057 CLAY LAMP height = 2.9 cm diameter of the base = 4.7 cm

8 K 5559 CLAY LAMP height = 3.1 cm diameter of the base = 4.3 cm

9 K 7980 CLAY LAMP height = 3.1 cm diameter of the base = 4 cm

10 K 2971 CLAY LAMP height = 4.2 cm Diameter = 5.5 cm length 11 cm

11 K 5531 CLAY LAMP height = 4.2 cm diameter of the base = 4.4 cm

12 K 2966 CLAY LAMP height = 3cm Diameter = 6.3 cm

13 K 3095 CLAY LAMP height = 4.7 cm (with lid 6.2 cm) diameter = 5.7cm length = 8.5 cm

14 12905 Attic red LEKYTHOS VASE FROM RHODES (second quarter of the fifth century. BC) height: 0.275 m, diameter of the lip: 0.05, diameter of the base: 0.065 m

15 B 2400 BRONZE FIGURINE OF A YOUTH WITH THYREATIC WREATH height = 0.177 cm

16 4048 GOLD RING SEAL, Antheia, Messinia. Representation of a scene of bull-leaping from Mycenaean chamber tomb in 'Greek' Antheia. Date: 14th or 13th century. BC length of bezel (crown of ring) = 2.6 cm Diameter of ring = 2.1 cm

17 1460 CYNLINDER SEAL from hematite. Representation of chariot and Mistress of Animals. Origin Crete (Astrakoi of Knossos). Date: 14th or 15th century BC.

18 Br 11622 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.053 m

19 BR 8051 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.059 m

20 BR 10848 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.049 m

21 BR 4799 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.064 m

22 B 7672 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.038 m

23 BR 10849 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.055 m

24 Br 10306 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.058 m

25 Br 12028 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.041 m

26 Br 7130 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter = 0.119m

27 Br 8831 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.054 m

28 Br 2733 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter = 0.053 m

29 Br 371 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) height = 5cm Diameter = 5 cm

30 Br 9960 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) height: 5cm Diameter = 4.1 cm

31 Br 904 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) Height = 0.040 m diameter = 0.049 m

32 M 903 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) Height = 4cm Diameter = 6.3 cm

33 B 1663 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) height = 7.3 cm diameter = 6.5 cm

34 B 1670 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) Height = 0.136, width of chariot: 0.062 m

35 B 3005 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) height = 0.081, width of chariot: 0.045 m

36 O.NR 46 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) width of chariot: 0.04 m

37 Br 11701 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) Length: 4.3 cm Height = 4.5 cm

38 B 5035 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) height = 0.126 m

39 Br 2512 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.10 m

40 B 11700 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.105 m Height = 0.106 m

41 B 4805 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Height: 0.065 m

42 Br 1154 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Height: 9.3cm length: 7.5 cm

43 Br 10688 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) surviving height: 6.7 cm

44 M 895 COMPLEX/GROUP OF COUPLES/PAIRS OF HORSES, Geometric period Length: 0.065 m

45 Br 10537 PART OF BRONZE VOTIVE CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) Diameter: 6 cm Height: 3 cm

46 Br 1311 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.08 m, height: 0.068 m

47 Br 3448 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.08 m height: 0.05 m

48 B 5631 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 7.5 cm height: 5.4 cm

49 B 6561 +6565 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (with handle connected) (8th) Width 4.9 cm Height: 5.4 cm

50 M 905 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.058 m Height: 0.05 m

51 B 1310 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Height: 0.071 m length: 0.061 m

52 B 612 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL (8th) Height: 0.044 m length: 0.084 m

53 B 8256 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL (8th) Height: 0.044 m length: 0.056 m

54 Br 10380 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 5.5 cm Length: 6.3 cm

55 Br 9871 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 0.037 m Length: 0.064 m

56 Br 6154 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 0.04 m Length: 0.058 m

57 Br 11126 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 6.4 cm Length: 7.7 cm

58 B 1760 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL Height: 13.6 cm

59 Br 9501-K907 AXIS OF BRONZE CHARIOT Length: 8.2cm

60 P 2935 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.5 cm

61 Tc 1958 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.6 cm

62 T 821D TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.6 cm

63 P 2965 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.5 cm

64 W 2930 CLAY HORSE height: 7.3 cm length: 10.5 cm

65 Tc 3013 CLAY HORSE third quarter of 8th century BC. Length: 14.2 cm Height: 9.4 cm

66 Tc 2935 (86) CLAY HORSE Length: 0.15 m height: 0.10 m

67 T 845D CLAY HORSE Length: 11.1 cm Height: 6.4 cm

68 Tc 2935 (101) CLAY HORSE Length: 11.6 cm Height: 9.9 cm

69 T 827D CLAY HORSE Height: 5.5 cm

70 Tc 2935 (100) CLAY HORSE Length: 13.7 cm Height: 10.8 cm

71 T 823D CLAY HORSE Height: 4.7 cm

72 T 843D TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF BULL length = 10.7 cm Height = 8 cm

73 P 2931 INCOMPLETE TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF ARIES Length = 10.5 cm height: 7.4 cm

74 P 2944 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF DOG length = 7cm Height = 5cm

75 T 833D CLAY CHARIOT WHEEL diameter = 11.4 cm

76 Tc 606 PART OF CHARIOT second quarter eighth century BC length = 9.6 cm

77 K 2159 BLACK-GLAZED KANTHAROS height = 12cm

Notice

Following on from the 17.02.2012 Announcement of the Greek Police Headquarters, photos and descriptions of the seventy-seven (77) ancient artifacts that were removed the morning of the same day from the display cases of the Museum of History of the Olympic Games in Ancient Olympia are given publicity.

It is noted that those people who know anything related to the case of the removal of these objects are able to contact the following telephone numbers and addresses:

1. On the number 11012 of the Service of Financial and Anti-Electronic Crime Police, which operates on a 24-hour basis
2. On the number 210 647 6188 of the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection of the Security Directorate of Attica, which operates from 08.00 to 23.00 every day.
3. At the e-mail address: financialpolice@hellenicpolice.gr

Catalogue of stolen artefacts with descriptions

[There is also a Word document copy of the (Greek-language) descriptive and photographic catalogue of the 77 artefacts stolen from the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games.]

ROOM 9 THE SPECTATORS OF THE GAMES, DISPLAY CASE 54

1 K 6990 CLAY LAMP height = 2.7 cm diameter of the base = 5.5 cm
2 K 6143 CLAY LAMP height = 2 cm diameter of the base = 5.2cm
3 K 3066 CLAY LAMP height = 2.2 cm Diameter = 8.4 cm
4 K 5409 CLAY LAMP Archaic period height = 3.2 cm diameter of the base = 4.5 cm
5 K 6156 CLAY LAMP height = 2.5 cm diameter of the base = 5.4 cm
6 K 7046 CLAY LAMP height = 2.7 cm diameter of the base = 4.4 cm
7 K 5057 CLAY LAMP height = 2.9 cm diameter of the base = 4.7 cm
8 K 5559 CLAY LAMP height = 3.1 cm diameter of the base = 4.3 cm
9 K 7980 CLAY LAMP height = 3.1 cm diameter of the base = 4 cm
10 K 2971 CLAY LAMP height = 4.2 cm Diameter = 5.5 cm length 11 cm
11 K 5531 CLAY LAMP height = 4.2 cm diameter of the base = 4.4 cm
12 K 2966 CLAY LAMP height = 3cm Diameter = 6.3 cm
13 K 3095 CLAY LAMP height = 4.7 cm (with the lid 6.2 cm) diameter = 5.7cm length = 8.5 cm

ROOM 7 AWARD-WINNERS OF THE GAMES, DISPLAY CASE 47

14 12905 Attic red LEKYTHOS VASE FROM RHODES (second quarter of the fifth century. BC) height: 0.275 m, diameter of the lip: 0.05, diameter of the base: 0.065 m
15 B 2400 BRONZE FIGURINE OF A YOUTH WITH THYREATIC WREATH height = 0.177 cm

Estimated TOTAL: 80 and a copy

ROOM 1 PREHISTORY OF SPORT – SPECIAL DISPLAY CASE 5

16 4048 GOLD RING SEAL, Antheia, Messinia. Representation of a scene of bull-leaping from Mycenaean chamber tomb in “Greek” Antheia. Date: 14th / 13th century. BC length of bezel (crown of ring) = 2.6 cm Diameter of ring = 2.1 cm
17 1460 CYNLINDER SEAL from hematite. Representation of chariot and Mistress of Animals. Origin Crete (Astrakoi of Knossos). Date: 14th / 15th century. BC

ROOM 2 – HOMERIC PERIOD – Display Case 12

18 Br 11622 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.053 m
19 BR 8051 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.059 m
20 BR 10848 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.049 m
21 BR 4799 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.064 m
22 B 7672 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.038 m
23 BR 10849 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.055 m
24 Br 10306 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.058 m
25 Br 12028 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.041 m
26 Br 7130 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter = 0.119m
27 Br 8831 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter 0.054 m
28 Br 2733 BRONZE WHEEL Geometric period (8th) Diameter = 0.053 m
29 Br 371 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) height = 5cm Diameter = 5 cm
30 Br 9960 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) height: 5cm Diameter = 4.1 cm
31 Br 904 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) Height = 0.040 m diameter = 0.049 m
32 M 903 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) Height = 4cm Diameter = 6.3 cm
33 B 1663 BRONZE TRIPOD Geometric period (8th) height = 7.3 cm diameter = 6.5 cm

ROOM 2 – JUPITER, TEMPLE OF ZEUS(?) – DISPLAY CASE 14

34 B 1670 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) Height = 0.136, width of chariot: 0.062 m
35 B 3005 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) height = 0.081, width of chariot: 0.045 m
36 O.NR 46 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) width of chariot: 0.04 m
37 Br 11701 BRONZE FIGURINE charioteer and CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) Length: 4.3 cm Height = 4.5 cm
38 B 5035 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) height = 0.126 m
39 Br 2512 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.10 m
40 B 11700 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.105 m Height = 0.106 m
41 B 4805 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Height: 0.065 m
42 Br 1154 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Height: 9.3cm length: 7.5 cm
43 Br 10688 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) surviving height: 6.7 cm
44 M 895 COMPLEX/GROUP OF COUPLES/PAIRS OF HORSES, Geometric period Length: 0.065 m
45 Br 10537 PART OF BRONZE VOTIVE CHARIOT Geometric period (8th) Diameter: 6 cm Height: 3 cm
46 Br 1311 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.08 m height: 0.068 m
47 Br 3448 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.08 m height: 0.05 m
48 B 5631 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 7.5 cm height: 5.4 cm
49 B 6561 +6565 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (with handle connected) (8th) Width 4.9 cm Height: 5.4 cm
50 M 905 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Length: 0.058 m Height: 0.05 m
51 B 1310 BRONZE FIGURINE OF HORSE Geometric period (8th) Height: 0.071 m length: 0.061 m
52 B 612 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL (8th) Height: 0.044 m length: 0.084 m
53 B 8256 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL (8th) Height: 0.044 m length: 0.056 m
54 Br 10380 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 5.5 cm Length: 6.3 cm
55 Br 9871 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 0.037 m Length: 0.064 m
56 Br 6154 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 0.04 m Length: 0.058 m
57 Br 11126 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL height: 6.4 cm Length: 7.7 cm
58 B 1760 BRONZE FIGURINE OF BULL Height: 13.6 cm
59 Br 9501/K907 AXIS OF BRONZE CHARIOT Length: 8.2cm

ROOM 2A DISPLAY CASE 15

60 P 2935 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.5 cm
61 Tc 1958 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.6 cm
62 T 821D TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.6 cm
63 P 2965 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF CHARIOTEER height: 9.5 cm
64 W 2930 CLAY HORSE height: 7.3 cm length: 10.5 cm
65 Tc 3013 CLAY HORSE third quarter of 8th century BC. Length: 14.2 cm Height: 9.4 cm
66 Tc 2935 (86) CLAY HORSE Length: 0.15 m height: 0.10 m
67 T 845D CLAY HORSE Length: 11.1 cm Height: 6.4 cm
68 Tc 2935 (101) CLAY HORSE Length: 11.6 cm Height: 9.9 cm
69 T 827D CLAY HORSE Height: 5.5 cm
70 Tc 2935 (100) CLAY HORSE Length: 13.7 Height: 10.8 cm
71 T 823D CLAY HORSE Height: 4.7 cm
72 T 843D TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF BULL length = 10.7 cm Height = 8 cm
73 P 2931 INCOMPLETE TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF ARIES Length = 10.5 cm height: 7.4 cm
74 P 2944 TERRACOTTA FIGURINE OF DOG length = 7cm Height = 5cm
75 T 833D CLAY CHARIOT WHEEL diameter = 11.4 cm
76 Tc 606 PART OF CHARIOT second quarter eighth century BC length = 9.6 cm

ROOM 9 SPECTATORS OF THE GAMES, DISPLAY CASE 54

77 K 2159 BLACK-GLAZED KANTHAROS height = 12cm

REMARKS:

1. Display Case 54: the BLACK-GLAZED CLAY KANTHAROI WITH INVENTORY NUMBER K997, K2856 SURVIVED IN FRAGMENTED [FRAGMENTARY/BROKEN] CONDITION.
2. Display Case 55: The BLACK-GLAZED TERRACOTTA KYLIX WITH INVENTORY NUMBER K24 SURVIVED IN FRAGMENTED [FRAGMENTARY/BROKEN] CONDITION.
3. Display Case 47: ALSO STOLEN COPY OF X6590 (EAM). BRONZE HEAD OF YOUTH.

Update (24th February 2012): Looting Matters has grouped the objects by type.

Ανακοίνωση

Σε συνέχεια των από 17.02.2012 Ανακοινώσεων του Αρχηγείου της Ελληνικής Αστυνομίας δίνονται στη δημοσιότητα φωτογραφίες και περιγραφές των εβδομήντα επτά (77) αρχαίων αντικειμένων που αφαιρέθηκαν το πρωί την ιδίας ημέρας από τις προθήκες του Μουσείου Ιστορίας των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων στην Αρχαία Ολυμπία.

Υπενθυμίζεται ότι όσοι πολίτες γνωρίζουν οτιδήποτε σχετικό με την υπόθεση της αφαίρεσης των παραπάνω αντικειμένων μπορούν να επικοινωνούν στα εξής τηλέφωνα και ηλεκτρονικές διευθύνσεις:

1. Στον αριθμό 11012 της Υπηρεσίας Οικονομικής Αστυνομίας & Δίωξης Ηλεκτρονικού Εγκλήματος, που λειτουργεί σε 24ωρη βάση
2. Στον αριθμό 210 647 6188 του Τμήματος Προστασίας Πολιτισμικής Κληρονομιάς της Διεύθυνσης Ασφαλείας Αττικής, που λειτουργεί από τις ώρες 08.00 έως 23.00 κάθε μέρα.
3. Στην ηλεκτρονική διεύθυνση: financialpolice@hellenicpolice.gr

Απογράφηκαν και “εκτίθενται” για κάθε πληροφορία οι συλημένοι θησαυρο
Κοινή ανακοίνωση στην οποία “αποθησαυρίζονται” όλοι οι κλεμμένοι με μυθιστορηματικό τρόπο θησαυροί που συλήθηκαν από το Μουσείο της Αρχαίας Ολυμπίας από δύο ένοπλους κουκουλοφόρους, εξέδωσαν πριν από λίγη ώρα τα υπουργεία Προστασίας του Πολίτη και Πολιτισμού.
Με την ευκαιρία, η Αστυνομία επαναλαμβάνει την έκκληση της για οποιαδήποτε πληροφορία υποδεικνύοντας τους τρόπους επικοινωνίας.
“Σε συνέχεια των από 17.02.2012 Ανακοινώσεων του Αρχηγείου της Ελληνικής Αστυνομίας δίνονται στη δημοσιότητα φωτογραφίες και περιγραφές των εβδομήντα επτά (77) αρχαίων αντικειμένων που αφαιρέθηκαν το πρωί την ιδίας ημέρας από τις προθήκες του Μουσείου Ιστορίας των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων στην Αρχαία Ολυμπία.

Υπενθυμίζεται ότι όσοι πολίτες γνωρίζουν οτιδήποτε σχετικό με την υπόθεση της αφαίρεσης των παραπάνω αντικειμένων μπορούν να επικοινωνούν στα εξής τηλέφωνα και ηλεκτρονικές διευθύνσεις:
Στον αριθμό 11012 της Υπηρεσίας Οικονομικής Αστυνομίας & Δίωξης Ηλεκτρονικού Εγκλήματος, που λειτουργεί σε 24ωρη βάση

Στον αριθμό 210 647 6188 του Τμήματος Προστασίας Πολιτισμικής Κληρονομιάς της Διεύθυνσης Ασφαλείας Αττικής, που λειτουργεί από τις ώρες 08.00 έως 23.00 κάθε μέρα.
Στην ηλεκτρονική διεύθυνση: financialpolice@hellenicpolice.gr
Πίνακας με το συνημμένο φωτογραφικό υλικό και τις περιγραφές

Ο κατάλογος των κλεμμένων αρχαιοτήτων με τις περιγραφές

(… τον οποίο έκλεψα από το Ηρακλειώτικο Στέκι.)

ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ 9 ΟΙ ΘΕΑΤΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΩΝΩΝ, ΠΡΟΘΗΚΗ 54 ΔΙΑΣΤΑΣΕΙΣ
1 Κ 6990 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=2,7εκ. Διαμ.βασης=5,5 εκ.
2 Κ 6143 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=2 εκ. Διαμ.βασης=5,2 εκ.
3 Κ 3066 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=2,2εκ. Διαμ.=8,4εκ.
4 Κ 5409 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ αρχαϊκών χρόνων Υ=3,2εκ. Διαμ.βασης=4,5 εκ.
5 Κ 6156 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=2,5εκ. Διαμ.βασης=5,4 εκ.
6 Κ 7046 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=2,7εκ. Διαμ.βασης=4,4 εκ.
7 Κ 5057 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=2,9εκ. Διαμ.βασης=4,7 εκ.
8 Κ 5559 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=3,1εκ. Διαμ.βασης=4,3 εκ.
9 Κ 7980 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=3,1εκ. Διαμ.βασης=4 εκ.
10 Κ 2971 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=4,2εκ. Διαμ.=5,5 εκ. μηκος 11 εκ.
11 Κ 5531 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=4,2εκ. Διαμ.βασης=4,4 εκ
12 Κ 2966 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=3εκ. Διαμ.=6,3 εκ
13 Κ 3095 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ Υ=4,7εκ. (με τη λαβη 6,2εκ.)Διαμ.=5,7 εκ. μηκος 8,5εκ.

ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ 7 ΕΠΑΘΛΑ ΝΙΚΗΤΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΩΝΩΝ ΠΡΟΘΗΚΕΣ 47
14 12905 ΑΤΤΙΚΗ ΕΡΥΘΡΟΜΟΡΦΗ ΛΗΚΥΘΟΣ ΑΠΌ ΤΗ ΡΟΔΟ (β΄τέταρτο 5ου αι. π. Χ.) Υ: 0,275μ, δχ:0,05, δβ: 0,065μ
15 Β 2400 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΝΕΟΥ ΜΕ ΘΥΡΕΑΤΙΚΟ ΣΤΕΦΑΝΙ Υ=0,177εκ.
ΣΥΝΟΛΟ ΚΑΤΆ ΕΚΤΙΜΗΣΗ : 80 και ένα αντίγραφο

ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ 1 ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΑΘΛΗΣΗΣ ΕΙΔΙΚΗ ΠΡΟΘΗΚΗ – 5 ΔΙΑΣΤΑΣΕΙΣ
16 4048 ΧΡΥΣΟ ΣΦΡΑΓΙΣΤΙΚΟ ΔΑΚΤΥΛΙΔΙ ΑΝΘΕΙΑ ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑ. Παράσταση σκηνής ταυροκαθαψίων από θαλαμωτό μυκηναϊκό τάφο στη θέση «Ελληνικά» Ανθείας. Χρονολόγηση: 14ος/ 13ος αι. π. Χ. μήκος σφενδόνης=2,6εκ. Διάμετρος κρίκου = 2,1εκ.
17 1460 Σφραγιδοκύλινδρος από αιματίτη. Παράσταση αρματοδρομίας και Πότνιας Θηρών. Προέλευση Κρήτη (Αστρακοί Κνωσού). Χρονολόγηση: 14ος / 15ος αι. π. Χ.

ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ 2 ΕΠΟΧΗ ΟΜΗΡΟΥ Προθήκη 12
18 Br 11622 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,053μ.
19 Βr 8051 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,059μ.
20 Βr 10848 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,049μ.
21 Βr 4799 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,064μ.
22 Β 7672 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,038μ.
23 Βr 10849 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,055μ.
24 Br 10306 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,058μ
25 Br 12028 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,041μ.
26 Br 7130 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ.0,119μ.
27 Br 8831 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 0,054μ.
28 Br 2733 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΌΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ.: 0,053μ
29 Br 371 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΊΠΟΔΑΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύ:5εκ. Διαμ:5εκ.
30 Br 9960 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΊΠΟΔΑΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ: 4,1εκ. ύ:5εκ.
31 Br 904 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΊΠΟΔΑΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύψ: 0,040μ, διαμ. 0,049μ
32 M 903 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΊΠΟΔΑΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύψ: 4εκ., διαμ.6,3 εκ.
33 B 1663 ΧΆΛΚΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΊΠΟΔΑΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΏΝ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ (8ος) Υ:7,3εκ., διαμ: 6,5εκ.

ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ 2 ΔΙΑΣ ΙΕΡΟ ΔΙΟΣ ΠΡΟΘΗΚΕΣ 14
34 B 1670 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύψ: 0,136, πλ. άρματος: 0,062μ.
35 B 3005 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύψ.: 0,081, πλ. άρματος: 0,045μ
36 O.NR 46 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) πλ. άρματος: 0,04μ
37 Br 11701 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Μήκος: 4,3 εκ, ύψ: 4,5 εκ.
38 B 5035 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύ: 0,126μ
39 Br 2512 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Μήκος: 0,10μ
40 B 11700 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Μήκος: 0,105μ, ύψ: 0,106μ
41 B 4805 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύψ: 0,065μ
42 Br 1154 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύψ: 9.3εκ.., μήκ.:7,5εκ.
43 Br 10688 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) σωζ. Ύψ.:6,7εκ.
44 M 895 ΣΥΜΠΛΕΓΜΑ ΙΠΠΩΝ ΖΕΥΓΜΕΝΩΝ, ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ Μήκος: 0,065μ
45 Br 10537 ΤΜΗΜΑ ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟΥ ΑΝΑΘΗΜΑΤΙΚΟΥ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Διαμ. 6 εκ, ύψ: 3 εκ.
46 Br 1311 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Μήκος: 0,08μ, υ:0,068μ
47 Br 3448 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Μήκος: 0,08μ, υ:0,05μ
48 B 5631 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Μήκος:7,5εκ. ύ:5,4εκ.
49 B 6561+6565 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (συναρμόζει και η λαβή) (8ος) Πλ.: 4,9εκ. ύψ: 5,4εκ.
50 M 905 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Μήκος: 0,058μ, ύψ: 0,05μ
51 B 1310 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΙΠΠΟΥ ΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΙΚΩΝ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ (8ος) Ύψ: 0,071μ, μήκος: 0,061μ
52 B 612 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ (8ος) Ύψ: 0,044μ, μήκος: 0,084μ
53 B 8256 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ (8ος) Ύψ: 0,044μ, μήκος: 0,056μ
54 Br 10380 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ Ύψ.: 5,5εκ., Μήκ.:6,3εκ.
55 Br 9871 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ Ύψ.: 0,037μ., Μήκ.:0,064μ.
56 Br 6154 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ Ύψ.: 0,04μ., Μήκ.:0,058μ.
57 Br 11126 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ Ύψ.: 6,4εκ., Μήκ.:7,7 εκ.
58 B 1760 ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ Ύψ: 13,6εκ.
59 Br 9501/K907 ΑΞΟΝΑΣ ΧΑΛΚΙΝΟΥ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ Μηκος 8.2εκ.

ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ 2Α ΠΡΟΘΗΚΕΣ 15
60 Π 2935 ΠΗΛΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ Υ:9,5εκ.
61 Τc 1958 ΠΗΛΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ Υ:9,6εκ.
62 T 821D ΠΗΛΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ Υ:9,6εκ.
63 Π 2965 ΠΗΛΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΗΝΙΟΧΟΥ Υ:9,5εκ.
64 Π 2930 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ Υ:7,3 εκ., μήκος: 10,5εκ.
65 Tc 3013 ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ τρίτο τέταρτο 8ου αι. π. Χ Μήκος: 14,2εκ., ύψ: 9,4εκ.
66 Tc 2935 (86) ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ Μήκος: 0,15μ, ύψος:0,10μ
67 T 845D ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ Μήκος: 11,1εκ. ύψ: 6,4εκ.
68 Tc 2935 (101) ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ Μήκος: 11,6εκ. ύψ: 9,9εκ.
69 T 827D ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ Ύψ: 5,5εκ.
70 Tc 2935 (100) ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ Μήκος: 13,7, ύψ: 10,8εκ.
71 T 823D ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ Ύψ: 4,7εκ.
72 Τ 843D ΠΗΛΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΤΑΥΡΟΥ μήκος=10,7εκ. Υψος=8 εκ.
73 Π 2931 ΠΗΛΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΚΡΙΟΥ ΕΛΛΙΠΕΣ Μηκος=10,5εκ., ύψος: 7,4
74 Π 2944 ΠΗΛΙΝΟ ΕΙΔΩΛΙΟ ΣΚΥΛΟΥ μήκος = 7εκ. Υψος =5εκ.
75 Τ 833D ΠΗΛΙΝΟΣ ΤΡΟΧΟΣ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ διάμετρος =11,4εκ.
76 Τc 606 ΤΜΗΜΑ ΑΡΜΑΤΟΣ β’ τέταρτο 8ου αι π. Χ. μήκος =9,6εκ.

ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ 9 ΟΙ ΘΕΑΤΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΓΩΝΩΝ, ΠΡΟΘΗΚΗ 54 ΔΙΑΣΤΑΣΕΙΣ
77 Κ 2159 ΜΕΛΑΜΒΑΦΗΣ ΚΑΝΘΑΡΟΣ Υ=12εκ.

ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΣΕΙΣ:
1. ΠΡΟΘΗΚΗ 54: ΟΙ ΠΗΛΙΝΟΙ ΜΕΛΑΜΒΑΦΕΙΣ ΚΑΝΘΑΡΟΙ ΜΕ ΑΡΙΘΜΟ ΚΑΤΑΓΡΑΦΗΣ Κ997,Κ2856 ΣΩΣΩΝΤΑΙ ΣΕ ΘΡΑΥΣΜΑΤΙΚΗ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ.
2. ΠΡΟΘΗΚΗ 55: Η ΠΗΛΙΝΗ ΜΕΛΑΜΒΑΦΗΣ ΚΥΛΙΚΑ ΜΕ ΑΡΙΘΜΟ ΚΑΤΑΓΡΑΦΗΣ Κ24 ΣΩΖΕΤΑΙ ΣΕ ΘΡΑΥΣΜΑΤΙΚΗ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ.
3. ΠΡΟΘΗΚΗ 47: ΕΚΛΑΠΗ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ ΑΝΤΙΓΡΑΦΟ ΤΟΥ Χ6590 (ΕΑΜ). ΧΑΛΚΙΝΗ ΚΕΦΑΛΗ ΝΕΟΥ.

Agrinio

Party/parliamentary/bureaucratic property

They ’caused material damage [προκάλεσαν υλικές ζημιές]‘ to the party office of the Christian far-right Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS).

Banks

• They ’caused damage [προκάλεσαν ζημιές]‘ to Eurobank (on Democracy Square) with ‘stones, clubs and sledgehammers [πέτρες, ξύλα και βαριοπούλες]‘.
• They did the same to Probank (on Democracy Square).

(They also ‘caus[ed] damage [προκαλούν φθορές]‘ to an ATM/cash machine in the entrance of an apartment building in Skaltsodimou Street.)

General commercial properties

They ’caused material damage [προκάλεσαν υλικές ζημιές]‘ to (photo link) Gold Buyers pawn shop (ενεχυροδανειστήριο; on Democracy Square).

Public services

The front of the Post Office on Dimadi Square sustained ‘serious material damage [σοβαρές υλικές ζημιές]‘.

Personal private property

(They also ‘overturn[ed] [αναποδογύρισει]‘ a car parked in front of the post office; and caused ‘damage [ζημιές]‘ to cars in Stratou Square.)

Patras

Party/parliamentary/bureaucratic property

In the Achaia district of Patras, the Outraged went to the party office of pro-austerity PASOK MP, Minister of National Defence, Kostas Spiliopoulos (in Maizonos Street). They ‘tore the door to pieces. They turned the offices upside-down, and smashed whatever they found in front of them [έκαναν κομμάτια την πόρτα. Αναποδογύρισαν γραφεία και έσπασαν ό,τι βρήκαν μπροστά τους]‘ (all photo links).

Police (in)activity

As Agrinio Culture dryly observed, ‘typical, however, [was] the delay in the police’s intervention, since the anti-authoritarians managed to surprise the authorities with their evening attack [Χαρακτηριστική πάντως είναι η καθυστέρηση της αστυνομίας να επέμβει, αφού οι αντεξουσιαστές κατάφεραν με την αποψινή τους επίθεση να αιφνιδιάσουν τις αρχές]‘.

Since the protesters appear to have been the Outraged, rather than the Mask-Wearers, police inactivity cannot be explained as collaboration with parastate trouble-makers.  Perhaps it is a more general strategy of allowing a minority’s momentary, isolated acts of violence in order to excuse subsequent, heavy-handed repression of the popular movement.

Olympia is the second most popular site in Greece, with 800,000-1,000,000 visitors a year. Yet the museum had no guard at all between 6am and 7am – only its electronic alarm. During that time, the camouflage army uniform-wearing, Kalashnikov-carrying, ski mask-wearing thieves cut the alarm.(1)  (The army (surplus) gear was not exactly functional at a tourist site; it suggests they were labourers who robbed the museum in their work clothes.)

At around 7.34am, the robbery began. They assaulted the 48-year-old guard, ‘pull[ing] her by the hair [της τραβούσαν τα μαλιά [sic - μαλλιά]]’. Then, in ‘broken Greek [σπαστά ελληνικά]‘, they demanded the guard give them ‘wreaths and stamps [στεφάνια και γραμματόσημα]‘. The media has speculated that the thieves wanted a specific ‘gold wreath and a collection of stamps [το χρυσό στεφάνι και μια συλλογή γραμματοσήμων]‘. When she told them that ‘such objects [were] not held [δεν φυλάσσονται τέτοια αντικείμενα]‘ at the museum, they tied her up and gagged her.

Then, the armed robbers smashed open the reinforced glass of the exhibit cabinets with crowbars or sledgehammers (βαριοπούλες); and they stole 65/68/70 77 artefacts (or maybe fewer, of 463 on display). The stolen goods include bronze and clay statuettes, figurines, vases and lamps from the Geometric, Archaic and Classical periods; and, notably, a Mycenaean gold ring seal with a stamp of a ‘bull-leaping [ταυροκαθαψίων]‘.

(Update, 21st February 2012: Apparently, the Culture Ministry judged that ‘the robbers did more damage by destroying what they left behind than by removing what they did’; but that was not reflected in their inventory of museum losses from the robbery.)

The robbery took a matter of minutes; it may have ended by 7.40am. According to the guard, they ‘depart[ed] on foot [απομακρύνονται πεζή]‘; she did not know if they had a lookout (τσιλιαδόρος), or other accomplices who helped them to escape. Just after 7.50am, when the guard got free and alerted the police, they established roadblocks; but they caught no-one.

The stolen artefacts

Update (21st February 2012): the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism has posted a notice (ανακοίνωση) published a ‘Table with Attached Photographic Material and Descriptions [Πίνακας με το συνημμένο φωτογραφικό υλικό και τις περιγραφές]‘. (Hat tip, Charles Jones, the Ancient World Online (AWOL).)

To Irakliotiko Steki (@IrakliotikoSteki) has reproduced the basic information for ‘the stolen things from Ancient Olympia [τα κλεμμένα από την Αρχαία Ολυμπία]‘.

Document 1: theft notice, Museum of the History of the Olympic Games, 20th February 2012.

Document 2: 77 stolen artefacts (descriptions and photographs), Museum of the History of the Olympic Games.

(I have translated the missing objects’ descriptions and dimensions, and published their photo records.)

Resignation

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos accepted the resignation of Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos.

Update (23rd February 2012): Prime Minister Lucas Papademos rejected Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos’s resignation.

Theft of national consciousness

Two archaeologists’ unions(2) called it a ‘theft of national consciousness [κλοπή εθνικής συνείδησης]‘.

Archaeologists considered the theft ‘curious/strange [περίεργη]‘ because the objects are ‘[καταγεγραμμένα και φωτογραφημένα]‘ and thus ‘difficult to handle on the black market [δύσκολο να διακινηθούν στην "μαύρη αγορά"]‘. But a collector may have ordered them to keep, to possess, rather than to trade; or the thieves may have chosen their target unwisely; or the mastermind may have chosen his minions unwisely.

There are five key questions about the robbery:

1. Who ordered the theft (within Greece or from abroad)?

2. How did the robbers get away?

3. Where did they go?

4. Who made the ‘strange phone calls [περίεργες τηλεφωνικές συνομιλίες]‘ half-an-hour before and after the robbery, and why?

5. Were the robbers unaware that the museum was unguarded between 6am and 7am; thus, were they rank amateurs? Or did they wait for the guard to arrive in order to plunder the museum; thus, was it an inside job?

There are some educated guesses as to the answers (or the lack of them):

1. Even if they catch the robbers, they may not find the mastermind behind the operation. So, no-one knows (yet).

2. The robbers may have had ten minutes to get as far away as possible; or to hide as well as possible, in order to wait until the inevitable roadblock was lifted. Even driving sensibly, they could have got 30km-40km away before the police were mobilised. So, the police may not have been able to establish the roadblock widely enough; or they may not have been able to cover every road. So, no-one knows (yet).

Update (21st February 2012): the police established roadblocks for the thieves and their accomplice (getaway driver), in ‘Olympia and [the] neighbouring regions‘; but neither the police roadblocks, nor the police helicopter, nor special investigators have found anything so far.

3. Just because the robbers spoke broken Greek, it does not mean that they lived abroad; or that they worked for a foreign antiquities collector. (For example, a Greek Cypriot mastermind exploited a poverty-stricken Indian worker in Cyprus in order to rob the grave of Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos.) So, no-one knows (yet).

4. If there had only been a phone call before the robbery, it could have been from the robbers, checking if anyone was in the museum; but that would not explain the call after the theft. So, the phone calls may have been made by the mastermind, or an intermediary, to check on the situation at the museum. (Or, the phone calls may be red herrings; they may be random phone calls that confuse the investigation but are irrelevant to it.) So, no-one knows (yet).

5. The assumed specificity of their two targets suggests a professional operation. And the robbers had an hour to rob the museum without being seen by anyone; but they chose not to. Still, they may have worried about the guard arriving early, seeing them inside, and raising the alarm. It appears that the criminals waited for the guard to arrive; but that does not mean that the guard was in on the robbery.

Scenario A

As they showed by not stealing the object(s) of their desire, they did not know what they were looking for. Moreover, police analysis of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) security camera footage found ‘movements of panic and not a professional hit [κινήσεις πανικού και όχι επαγγελματικό χτύπημα]‘. Looked at that way, it seems like a robbery planned by professionals but carried out by amateurs. (And professionals do not hire amateurs.)

Perhaps, then, it is being over-analysed. Perhaps the two robbers cased the joint themselves, waited for the guard to show them the good stuff (not two specific exhibits), then took what they could get hold of quickly. They may be competent thieves, but not cultural experts.

This appears to be the conclusion of Christos Tsirogiannis, an illicit antiquities researcher who has worked with the Greek police. Tsirogiannis believes that they were ‘uneducated people with no money, who are not aware it will be difficult to give these objects to the market’.

Colleague in Greece says theft at Olympia was opportunistic and very unprofessional. Seriously worrying as security increasingly dumbed down—
Michael Turner (@michaelmuseums) February 18, 2012

.@michaelmuseums @derekfincham @ashlarblocks they wanted unmarketable stuff; couldn't even identify it; then smashed&grabbed nearest things—
Sam Hardy (@samarkeolog) February 19, 2012

On the one hand, an anonymous Culture Ministry official argued that the thieves had ‘poor information’; and asked the guard ‘where they could get golden wreaths and a valuable stamp collection – which are not part of the display’.

‘”They seem to have operated more as if they were carrying out a holdup” rather than a professional museum heist.’

Scenario B

On the other hand, an anonymous police officer briefed the media that it was ‘a made-to-order theft, because the thieves, after having stolen the 65 [sic - 77] artifacts, were trying to find another two exhibits that were not being shown’.

Update (22nd February 2012)

I have posted a brief follow-up, in which I ask more questions about the process of the crime and the criminals’ escape; the very public but nonetheless unquestioned disagreement between the police and the Culture Ministry; and why none of the Greek authorities translated the information appeal or the artefact descriptions.

Austerity and security

I have had an overall look at Greece’s disintegration, and its looting crisis elsewhere. Here, I want to look at the crisis and the security of Greece’s cultural heritage.

According to Olympia Mayor Efthymios Kotzias, the museum ‘had never been targeted before’. But material has been stolen ‘from outside [από τον έξω]‘ before. And Greek cultural heritage sites are more vulnerable than they have been for decades.

Former Culture Minister Dora Bakoyannis deemed it ‘criminal indifference [εγκληματική αδιαφορία]‘. But it is a little more complicated than that.

Before the crisis, there were still only about 3,400 guards (for 15,000 archaeological sites, historic monuments, and museums). Nonetheless, austerity – penury – has forced the government to fire 1,500 (44%) of its site guards, leaving them with 1,900 (3).

The head of an antiquities guards’ union (4), Georgios Dimakakos, stated the obvious, but it is worth repeating: the political leadership knew of the ‘huge shortages [τεράστιες ελλείψεις]‘. Indeed, the head of the local archaeological inspectorate (5), Georgia Hatzi, had warned the Ministry of Culture about the ‘dangers [κινδύνους]‘ three months before the robbery, in early November 2011. As Kotzias pointed out, ‘our mistakes ought to become our lessons [Τα σφάλματα μας θα πρέπει να γίνονται μαθήματά μας]‘; hopefully, this time they will.

Kotzias said that the ‘security should have been more serious’; that it was ‘insufficient… to guard a global treasure‘. Yet ultimately, it was an armed robbery. It would be easy, and satisfying, to blame this robbery on the Greek government’s cuts; and on the forces driving Greece into penury. However, the most secure museums in the richest countries still suffer burglaries and armed robberies.

If the museum had had more staff, the armed robbers would still have had a gun. Nonetheless, the worse the security, the easier the theft. (For example, the lack of a guard made it easier for the robbers to cut the alarm.) Evidently, there was no back-up alarm. (Though that is not surprising: there is not even one in the National Gallery.) At least there was CCTV.

Bad and getting worse

It is a nationwide (and international) problem, which is getting worse all the time. The head of Greece’s antiquities police, Dimos Kouzilos, said that art and antiquities crime had increased 30% between 2011 and 2012. ‘Not a single one of the arrested had a euro to show for [their troubles]. All were in financial ruins.’

As Matthew Taylor observes, ‘ultimate culpability rests with the buyers’: if there were no buyer, there would be no seller, no looter. I fear Derek Fincham may be right: ‘it might be time to prepare a ‘red list’ of objects from Greece‘, to make them more difficult to sell on the art market.

Etc.

I will add to this story as I find out about it. I am currently, simultaneously, updating the post on the destruction during the 12th February riots; and my computer is “running” inexplicably and infuriatingly slowly.

(I was completely absorbed in the riots research. Thanks to Moutsakos and Francesca for alerting me.)

1: Olympia has two museums. The smaller Olympic museum displays material from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Olympia. The larger, apparently better-guarded, general one is the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.

2: the Association of Emergency Staff of Archaeological Inspectorates of Patras, the Peleponnese, Aetolia-Akarnania and the Ionian Islands; and the Association of Emergency Archaeologists (SEKA).

3: And only 1,350 of those are full-time; 550 are only employed in peak tourist season – not, say, February…

4: The General Secretary of the Panhellenic Union of Antiquities Guard Employees.

5: the 6th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities.

Moreover, I’ve grouped them by target as well: parliamentary/party/bureaucratic property; police property; banks; other commercial property; cultural venues; media organisations; personal private property; and other objects.

The destruction has been blamed on anarchist protesters, and on agents provocateurs; and I will try to probe this, and the destruction of cultural property, in detail in another post. But my analysis suggests that banks were the primary targets for destruction (even ahead of politicians’ offices). Still, there are many as-yet-undocumented incidents; there were at least 170 acts of destruction in Athens alone. I would be very grateful for any further information.

Update (16th February 2012): rioters ‘torched’ the entrance of the Numismatic Museum and smashed the windows of a Greek Resistance memorial. These are ugly acts of cultural violence; it is fortunate that the arsonists’ ignorance is only equalled by their incompetence.

Summary of riots’ targets

Athens’ Deputy Mayor, Andreas Varelas, believes that rioters targeted ‘emblematic buildings‘. The cultural policy chief of right-wing coalition party New Democracy, Thanassis Davakis, claims that ‘[c]riminals targeted all that was best in the city of Athens, its neoclassical monuments’.

Of the 71 targets in my records, I believe the rioters damaged or destroyed:

• 23 “general” commercial properties;
• 22 banks;
• 13 parliamentary/party/bureaucratic buildings;
• at least 2 police stations;
• 9 cultural venues;
• 1 public service; and
• 1 journalists’ office.

So, nearly a third of all targets were banks; more banks were targeted than government offices. (Technically, more “general” commercial properties were targeted than banks; but banks are one specific institution, whereas the “general” commercial properties encompass a variety.) The majority of targets were either banks, the politicians who support the banks, or the police who protect both the politicians and the banks.

Generally, Greek rioters did not target small businesses, and they did not loot desirable/saleable consumer goods. With much success (considering the floods of tear gas and outbursts of physical violence), they confronted the police; and they smashed the physical embodiments of the international banking industry and the Greek political classes, which threaten them and their families.

Agrinio

Parliamentary/party/bureaucratic property

In the small, western city of Agrinio, youths ‘smashed to pieces [έκαναν γιαλιά-καρφιά]‘ the office of the Minister for Development, Competitiveness and Shipping, Thanos Moraitis.

Athens

ITV News’ Martin Geissler observed ‘[m]assive destruction‘ in Greece’s capital, Athens. Mercury News has a striking photo gallery of riots and fires. Apparently, ta Nea published an infographic map of destruction of the wounded city of Athens (Πληγωμένη πόλη η Αθήνα – Ο χάρτης της καταστροφής); but curiously it did not put it online.

According to the police, in Athens, 170 banks, shops and cafes were wrecked (and (photo link) ATMs/cash machines, even bus stops), and 45 of those 170 were ‘totally burned down‘; but there are several other estimate, including from the police.(1)

Athens on fire. #12fgr http://t.co/mtOSLN6H—
Harry Koutsogiorgas (@hkoutso) February 12, 2012

Καίγονται κτήρια στην Σταδίου και στην Κοραη. http://t.co/F7FVJtZs—
η akoupook (@akoupook) February 12, 2012

Parliamentary/party/bureaucratic property

The offices of the Directorate for Restoration of Modern and Contemporary Monuments (on Ermou; η Διεύθυνση Αναστήλωσης Νεώτερων και Σύγχρονων Μνημείων), which is part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (το Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού), suffered ‘minor damage [[μ]ικρής έκτασης ζημιές]’.

Update (17th February 2012): rioters stormed Kotzia town hall in order to burn it down; but riot police ‘rout[ed] [προσάγουν]‘ them before they could. (I only mention this to challenge any rumours. It also shows that rioters tried to target political property, but were sometimes unable to destroy it.)

Police property

• Unknown persons attacked Acropolis police station with Molotov cocktails and stones.
• They did the same to Exarcheia police station.

(Also, (photo link) DIAS motorcycle police bikes were burned.)

(There were also reports of fires in the entrance to the Metro station at Syntagma; but they seem to have been defensive fires rather than destructive ones.)

Banks

• A historic building, the Alfa Bank/Alpha Bank (at the junction of 16 Athinas and 17 Voreos), suffered ‘serious damage [σοβαρές ζημιές]‘.
• The Eurobank on the corner of Akadimias and Benaki was burned down.
• The Eurobank on Korai Street was burned down.
• The Marfin Bank on Athens Street was burned down.
• Another historic building, the Bank of Cyprus on the junction of 13-15 Athinas and Kakourgiodikeiou, was burned out (see photo below); its roof collapsed.
• The Hellenic Post Bank (Ταχυδρομικό Ταμιευτήριο) on Athens Street was burned out; its roof collapsed.
• Alfa Bank/Alpha Bank on Panepistimiou was burned out.
• The Commercial Bank at the junction of Syggrou and Dionysiou Aeropagitou was burned out.
• There was a fire at the (bank and) headquarters of the National Bank on Aiolou.
• Update (18th February 2012): rioters cut through the metal shutters of the (previously-unidentified) Commercial Bank (Εμπορική Τράπεζα) at the junction of Ippokratous and Akadimias, smashed its door, and torched it (see photos below). (Hat tip, Thalis (@th4lis), who published a whole set of photos of attacked buildings.)
• Attica Bank in Monastiraki Square was looted and burned (hat tip, Mr. P (@greenpickles36) for his first report).
• Another one of the seriously damaged ‘historic buildings [ιστορικά κτίρια]‘ was the five-floor building on the corner of Pesmatzoglou and 45 Panepistimiou, which used to house the Popular Bank (Laiki Bank).
• Update (17th February 2012): the Alpha Bank (at 37 Panepistimiou and 10 Korai) suffered ‘serious damage [σοβαρές ζημιές]‘. It is housed in a historic building, the General Accounting Office (το Μέγαρο του Γενικού Λογιστηρίου).
• Update, 17th February 2012: a former branch of the Bank of Cyprus (a registered ‘landmark [διατηρητέο]‘ historic building), was seriously damaged.

Mεγαλη φωτιά στην τράπεζα Κύπρου στο Μοναστηράκι τώρα #12fgr #rbnews http://t.co/RmYhZvSI—
Makis Sinodinos (@MakisSinodinos) February 12, 2012

In the 5th May 2010 riots, rioters petrol bombed Marfin Bank, and three workers burned to death inside. Last night, three, or fifteen, more workers narrowly escaped the same fate. They had taken refuge in the second basement of Alpha Bank; but firefighters rescued (‘extricated [απεγκλώβισαν]‘).

They were truly, incredibly lucky:

The city centre was almost inaccessible for fire engines and ambulances because of improvised barricades, and the fire department made an appeal to the demonstrators to open the roads. Fire engines were attacked and two firefighters were wounded.

[Το κέντρο ήταν σχεδόν απρόσιτο για τα πυροσβεστικά οχήματα και τα ασθενοφόρα λόγω των αυτοσχέδιων οδοφραγμάτων, και η πυροσβεστική απηύθυνε έκκληση στους διαδηλωτές να ανοίξουν τους δρόμους. Πυροσβεστικά οχήματα δέχτηκαν επίθεση και δύο πυροσβέστες τραυματίστηκαν.]

RegularGrrrl called bullshit on that narrative though:

Greece head of police lies on MEGA #propaganda TV "Greeks didn't allow fire engines to pass to put out fires" such BULLS%$T – we were there!—
Grrrl in Athens (@RegularGrrrl) February 13, 2012

Naturally, there were many more non-destructive actions, too. For example, the Central Bank was renamed in graffiti, ‘the Bank of Berlin‘.

Other commercial property

Shops were looted and burned.

• Indeed, the (photo link) Atrium shopping centre at the junction of Xarilaou Trikoupi and Feidiou was reduced to a burned-out shell.
• Protesters burned the electronic goods shop Germanos (on Benaki).
• They burned the furniture shop Neoset on Benaki.
• They burned the clothes shop Zara.
• They burned the Starbucks cafe between Panepistimiou Street and Syntagma Square (photo via S. Cosgrove (@s_cosgrove)).
• Update (15th February 2012): Sprider Stores’ central office (containing its clothes warehouse) was ‘damaged by fire‘.
• Update (15th February 2012): Someone shattered the windows of Maria Aletras’s bead and ribbon shop near parliament.
• There was also a fire at an unknown building on Euripidou.
• Evidently, one of the unknown (photo link) looted buildings on Stadiou Street was Mark Aalen’s opticians.
• And one of the other unknown (photo link) smashed/looted buildings elsewhere was Piacere.
• More or less shockingly, an antique gun and sword boutique (on Omonoia Square) was also looted last night (as it was on 8th December 2008). (Hat tip, Dimitris Vorris (@dimitrivorris) for one of the confirmations of the looting of the weapon shop.) As Thalis (@th4lis) said, ‘[Επεισόδια χωρίς να λεηλατηθεί το κλασσικό μαγαζί με τα όπλα κ τα σπαθιά στην Ομόνοια δεν νοούνται]‘ (see photo below).
• Kosta Boda (in the complex of historic buildings on Stadiou Street) caught fire when the neighbouring building, the Attikon cinema, did; and it suffered ‘extensive destruction [εκτεταμένη καταστροφή]‘ (photo).
• Similarly, the Asty cinema’s neighbouring cafe burned too. [The neighbouring cafe did burn, but it has already been counted; it was Starbucks.]
• Update, 15th February 2012: a bookshop was attacked; Kaufmann’s foreign-language (English, French and German) bookshop on Stadiou Street was ‘burned out‘.
• Update (17th February 2012): Anti-authoritarian groups (‘[ο]μάδες αντιεξουσιαστών‘) threw petrol bombs into the King George Hotel, but without causing damage ‘[νεαροί πέταξαν βόμβα μολότοφ και μέσα στο ξενοδοχείο King George, χωρίς όμως να προκληθούν ζημιές]‘.
• Mobile phone shop Cosmote (on Panepistimiou) was ‘envelop[ed] [τυλίγουν]‘ by flames.
• A jewellery shop (on Themistokleous) was consumed by ‘flames [φλόγες]‘.
• Update (17th February 2012): The Janus (Ιανός) bookshop (on Stadiou).
• Update (18th January 2012): evidently, H&M (on Stadiou) was damaged.
• Update (18th February 2012): Rioters smashed the windows of K. Verykios’s Stones jewellery shop (κοσμηματοπωλείο (photo link)), then looted it.

http://yfrog.com/mgip6rij

http://yfrog.com/gy9cdryj

http://yfrog.com/h7qw6glmj

http://yfrog.com/esbxfdzj

Cultural venues

• Rioters burned a neo-Classical cinema, the Attikon (see photo below), in 19-21 Stadiou Street; even Marie Claire (@MarieClaire_gr) noticed the destruction of the historic building. (The following night, there was a candle-lit vigil outside the Attikon, a rally against violence. Every week, there will be silent protest against the dismantling of our lives a ‘[βουβής διαμαρτυρίας για το ξήλωμα της ζωής μας]‘.)
• And the Apollo cinema ‘caught fire [πήρε φωτιά]‘. Its foyer suffered ‘complete destruction [πλήρης καταστροφή]‘, but the damage was ‘repairable [επιδιορθώσιμες]‘.Update (17th February 2012): the Attikon and the Apollon were in the same historic building. The head of the Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments (η Διεύθυνση Συντήρησης Αρχαίων και Νεώτερων Μνημείων), Nikos Minos, said that it had suffered ‘very serious damage [πολύ μεγάλη ζημιά]‘.
• Update (15th February 2012): Apparently, the Asty was ‘ablaze‘; but thankfully, Grrrl in Athens (@RegularGrrrl) saw the Asty and tweeted that it was not burned down. (There had been reports that it had been ‘ravaged‘.) Still, SigmaLive (@Sigmalivecom) showed that it was burned(photo link). As to Vima reported, the Asty ‘has not sustained serious damage [δεν έχει υποστεί σοβαρές ζημιές]‘; the Greek Reporter’s Anastasia Balezdrova said that there was ‘damageto the entrance only’.The cinema’s director, Georgios Tsakalakis, said that the foyer had been destroyed; and that ‘the roof ha[d] sustained serious damage [έχει υποστεί σοβαρές ζημιές και η οροφή]‘.To Vima specifically noted that ‘neither [has] the basement jail of the Gestapo that is found next to it, because the heavy entrance door protected them from the arson [ούτε και το υπόγειο κρατητήριο της Γκεστάπο που βρίσκεται δίπλα του, επειδή τα προφύλαξε από τους εμπρησμούςη βαριά πόρτα εισόδου]‘.The arsonists also ‘tried to rob the till [επιχείρησαν να ληστέψουν το ταμείο]‘, but the staff struggled with them and prevented them. The ‘masked ones approached Giorgios Stergiakis and demanded money from him, in order for them not to destroy the cinema [τον [Γιώργο Στεργιάκη] πλησίασαν κουκουλοφόροι και του ζήτησαν χρήματα, για να μην καταστρέψουν το σινεμά]’.Adding another layer of history, and significance, to Vima noted that, after the Nazi occupation, the building had served as the ‘cover for/housing of the central offices of EAM [ως στέγητων κεντρικών γραφείων του ΕΑΜ]‘. The National Liberation Front (Εθνικό Απελευθερωτικό Μέτωπο) had been the heart of Greek resistance to the Nazi occupation, and became the heart of the anti-imperialist force in the Greek Civil War.

  Update (16th January 2012): one or more imbeciles broke the windows of a building housing a memorial to Greece’s anti-Nazi resistance to the Nazis, and wrote ‘uprising’ on the wall in revolutionary red. Apparently, it was metres away from the Attikon, so I assume it was the building housing the Asty. (It was not the Museum of National Resistance (Μουσείο Εθνικής Αντίστασης), which is 4.3km away from the Attikon.)

• Update (15th February 2012): the Australian Eye, the (U.S.) Standard-Examiner and the (U.S.) Times Leader published AP/DPA confirmation that ‘[d]emonstrators torched… a museum’. Apparently, it was the Numismatic Museum (Νομισματικό Μουσείο), the museum of coins and currency, which is housed in archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann’s 1880 residence, Iliou Melathron on the junction of Panepistimiou and Amerikis. (Hat tip, Vatolakkiotis for the initial information.) There, ‘damages were caused [Φθορές προκλήθηκαν]‘ to the entrance (είσοδο).(2)
• Update (17th February 2012): a historic building, the Nikoloudi Building (το Μέγαρο Νικολούδη; at 41 Panepistimiou) suffered ‘serious damage [σοβαρές ζημιές]‘.
• Update (17th February 2012): a complex of conserved historic buildings (το συγκρότημα διατηρητέων) at 6-8 Stadiou was also seriously damaged. They are owned by the Spiliopouleio Hospital and Hospice of Saint Helen (το Σπηλιοπούλειο Νοσοκομείο «Αγ. Ελένη» και Ασύλου Ανιάτων).
• Update (17th February 2012): another historic building, a registered ‘landmark building [διατηρητέο κτίριο]‘, at 66 Ermou, was seriously damaged.
• Update (17th February 2012): Tragically, when youths smashed up places to get stones to throw at the police, their first source was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (το Μνημείο του Άγνωστου Στρατιώτη).
• Update (17th February 2012): In another of the ugliest acts of “tactical” cultural consumption/destruction, on the corner of Panepistimiou and Omirou, the Catholic Church of Saint Dionysios suffered ‘extensive destruction [εκτεταμένη καταστροφή]‘ of its perimeter wall, its marble steps, its gate and its pilasters.

burned attikon cinema #now #Greece #athens #syntagma #12fgr http://t.co/iEhPsY58—
Kostas Kallergis (@KallergisK) February 12, 2012

False rumours of cultural destruction

• Word quickly spread that ‘Athens National Library [Was] On Fire‘; but Anastasia Balezdrova confirmed that those rumours ‘proved false’. Rather, ‘fires [had] envelop[ed] the vendors outside the National Library [φλόγες τυλίγονται και τα εκδοτήρια έξω από την Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη]‘.
• Similarly, palio fatsa (@paliofatsa) reassured the public that ‘the porn cinema on 3rd September Street was not burned [δεν κάηκε πορνο-σινεμά της οδού 3ης Σεπτεμβριου]‘.

Public services

Someone broke the windows of the post office on Ethnikis Amynis Street (see photo below).

Windows broken at post office Ethn. Amynis str. #skg #12fgr #greece #rbnews http://t.co/bbwEzCcE—
spyros gkelis (@northaura) February 12, 2012

Media organisations

The Lambrakis Journalist Organisation (Δημοσιογραφικός Οργανισμός Λαμπράκη (ΔΟΛ)) was ‘looted [λεηλατημένο]‘ (photo link, hat tip Modestos Siotos (@modestospk)). This is particularly noteworthy because DOL had immediately produced a good record of many of last night’s episodes of looting, destruction and violence. (I found DOL’s article on news.in.gr very helpful in producing this post.)

Personal private property

I do not count them in my study, but cars were vandalised and burned.

Other objects

Likewise, I have not counted it in my study, but protesters burned a German flag (see video below).

Corfu (Kerkyra)

Parliamentary/party/bureaucratic property

• In the western island of Corfu, more than 1,000 protesters ‘stormed [εισέβαλαν]‘, broke the doors down and ‘completely destroyed [καταστράφηκαν ολοσχερώς]‘ the office of PASOK MP Angela Gerekou/Gkerekou.
• They did the same to the office of the (right-wing) justice minister, ND MP Nikolaos Dendias; the protesters ‘turned [the offices] into a land of destruction [έκαναν γης μαδιάμ]‘.

Heraklion (Irakleio)

Parliamentary/party/bureaucratic property

• In Herakleion, the capital of the southern Greek island of Crete, youths smashed the windows of the court on Justice Avenue.
• They damaged, ‘ransacked‘ the office of PASOK MP Vasilis Kegkeroglou.
• And they did the same to the office of Manolis Stratakis.

It is unclear whether the MPs’ offices and two other public offices were ransacked, or whether the MPs’ offices were the public offices…

Pics just in from ransacked MPs office in Heraklion #Crete #Greece yfrog.com/esuvxnoj yfrog.com/h3u65yyj—
Jasmine Malone (@JasmineFM) February 12, 2012

Correction on #Crete – public offices, not MPs. Rioters rumoured to be heading to tax office #Greece yfrog.com/esuvxnoj—
Jasmine Malone (@JasmineFM) February 12, 2012

@IrateGreek Definitely two Pasok MP offices ransacked in Heraklion #Crete—
Jasmine Malone (@JasmineFM) February 12, 2012

Police property

(They Molotov cocktailed police jeeps.)

Patras

Parliamentary/party/bureaucratic property

In the larger, western city of Patras, masked youths Molotov cocktailed an unidentified political office.

Other commercial properties

They also smashed a shop’s windows.

Personal private property

(And they (photo link) Molotov cocktailed a car; but again, I do not count that in my analysis.)

Thessaloniki

Sky News’ Robert Nisbet (@RobNisbetSky) reported ‘extensive‘ violence and damage in Thessaloniki.

Youths tore the protective boards off banks and shops on Mitropoleos Street, and smashed their security cameras. Still, others disapproved.

Banks under attack. Ppl disapproving #skg #12fgr #greece #rbnews—
spyros gkelis (@northaura) February 12, 2012

Banks

A surprised/suspicious Anthony Verias (@VeriasA) reported that, at one point, a protester with ‘no hood nothing [to cover his face]‘ ‘magically’ found a pick axe (casually left at a building site) with which to ‘smash [a] bank‘.

1 point one protester took pick axe from construction site to attack bank, no hood nothing @teacherdude was called roufianoi #12fgr #skg—
Anthony Verias (@VeriasA) February 12, 2012

During protest some kid crosses street to construction site where magically he finds a pick axe to smash bank. Seemed very odd to me #12fgr—
Anthony Verias (@VeriasA) February 12, 2012

• Proton Bank was attacked.
• ProBank (on Mitropoleos) burned (see photo below).
• Masked people smashed the front window of First Business Bank (and tried but failed to set fire to it).
• Anthony Verias (@VeriasA) showed ‘damage‘ to an unnamed bank in Thessaloniki (see photo below).

Φωτιά στην probank Μητροπόλεως #12fgr #rbnews http://t.co/mvIqqWB0—
  (@akatzou) February 12, 2012

Damage to bank from attack #SKG #12fgr #Greece http://t.co/vOFpcubZ—
Anthony Verias (@VeriasA) February 12, 2012

Other commercial properties

• The same masked people damaged a neighbouring travel agent.
• A ‘posh restaurant got smashed to pieces‘; Anthony Verias tweeted that it was the Electra Palace (and its chairs got smashed).

Trikala

Banks

Update (17th February 2012): There had been reports that fifteen hooded and scarved youths used ‘clubs and sledgehammers [ρόπαλα και βαριοπούλα]‘ to smash the windows of three (unnamed) banks. In fact,

• Twenty youths used stones to smash the windows of Commercial Bank (Εμπορική Τράπεζα; on Ploutonos).
• And they did the same to Eurobank (on Kondyli). (Hat tip, local blogger To Eides Auto.)

Volos

Parliamentary/party/bureaucratic property

• Volos’s town hall was first occupied then set on fire, ‘burned [καίγεται]‘.
• Its tax office (Internal Revenue Office (Δημόσια Οικονομική Υπηρεσία (ΔΟΥ))) was looted, and its files ‘destroyed’, ‘burned [έκαψαν φακέλους]‘.
• Update (17th February 2012): apparently, there was unspecified ‘damage [ζημιές]‘ to the office of the Job Centre/Employment Service (the Organisation for the Employment of the Workforce (Οργανισμός Απασχολήσεως Εργατικού Δυναμικού (ΟΑΕΔ))).
• Update (17th February 2012): there was also unspecified ‘damage [ζημιές]‘ to the offices of the Prefectural Committee of Magnesia.

Banks

• In the central city of Volos, the Eurobank (on Iasonas Street) burned; and the fire so weakened it that it ‘collapsed [[κ]ατέρρευσε]’.
• Update (17th February 2012): there was unspecified ‘damage [ζημιές]‘ to the Hellenic Post Bank.

Video from Volos of bank burning youtube.com/watch?v=iHMlnb… #12fgr #Greece via @secretlyadog—
Tim Hardy (@bc_tmh) February 12, 2012

Destructive tactics

There were tactical fires to disperse tear gas; and there are burning/burned-out bin barricades. They did cause damage/destruction to some physical property; but their aim was citizens’ protection from chemical or physical attack. (Hat tip, Fani Angelou (@angeloufani) and Spyros Gkelis (@northaura) for their links to the tweets below.)

Αριστοτελους τώρα instagr.am/p/G6sNiWL–F/—
George Axas (@GeorgeAxass) February 12, 2012

Many fires still burning in center #skg police out of sight for now #12fgr #greece http://t.co/w5SZcMh1—
Anthony Verias (@VeriasA) February 12, 2012

Also, rioters smashed public squares’ and ‘‘luxury hotels, banks and department stores” marble architecture in order to use the rubble to stone the police; they smashed ‘around 40 tons [περίπου 40 τόνους]‘ of marble and other stone in Athens alone. That is destruction to enable violent action; and the damage to the Church of St. Dionysios and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was inexcusable; but they did not damage their communities’ public places/sacred sites for the sake of it.

And finally…

For some, it was a spectator sport:

Onlookers taking photos during burning&looting #12fgr #riots in #Athens #Greece near Acropolis #Syntagma #mikromoupony http://t.co/wnIPUWuC—
K. Papamichalopoulos (@MilitaryRaiden) February 13, 2012

And while all this was going on, this was the scene in the cafe in parliament:

The cafe/ lounge area in the Greek parliament as Athens is being burned outside
p.twimg.com/Alegmw9CQAAoP4…—
Panayiotis (@Panayioti_) February 12, 2012

Method

I got a lot of information from friends, colleagues and other people I follow on Twitter.

I searched Twitter’s complete timelines for,

• 12fgr καίγεται/καίγονται
• 12fgr έκαψε/έκαψαν
• 12fgr βλάβη/ζημιά
• 12fgr έβλαψε/έβλαψαν/ζημίωσε/ζημίωσαν
• 12fgr καταστροφή/κατεστραμμένος/κατεστραμμένοι/κατεστραμμένη/κατεστραμμένες/κατεστραμμένο/κατεστραμμένα
• 12fgr κατέστρεψε/κατέστρεψαν/καταστράφηκε/καταστράφηκαν
• 12fgr φωτιά
• 12fgr φωτιές
• [anything on] Αγρίνιο
• Athens, burned
• Athens, burning [which was annoying, because there were hundreds of wholly uninformative tweets that 'Athens is burning' or 'Athens, Greece is burning'; Twitter even broke under the weight of them, so I couldn't see anything earlier than 10pm UK time, 12th February 2012, 12am Greek time, 13th February 2012]
• Athens, damage
• Athens, damaged
• Athens, destroyed
• Athens, destruction
• Athens, fire [at which point, I daydreamed of an "-idiot" filter; I could not retrieve anything earlier than 3am UK time, 5am Greek time, 13th February 2012]
• Athens, fires
• Greece, burned
• not Greece, burning [see: Athens, burning]
• Greece, damage
• Greece, damaged
• Greece, destroyed
• Greece, destruction
• not Greece, fire [see: Athens, fire]
• Greece, fires
• Corfu/Kerkyra, burned
• Corfu/Kerkyra, burning
• Corfu/Kerkyra, damage
• Corfu/Kerkyra, damaged
• Corfu/Kerkyra, destroyed
• Corfu/Kerkyra, destruction
• Corfu/Kerkyra, fire
• Corfu/Kerkyra, fires
• [anything on] Herakleion/Irakleio/Ηράκλειο
• [anything on] Patra/Πάτρα/Patras/Πάτρας [I did not find much about the 12th; however, I did learn that, on the morning of the 11th, in Patra(s), about 30 masked people looted Carrefour and distributed their goods in the local market (λαϊκή αγορά)]
• Thessaloniki, burned
• Thessaloniki, burning
• Thessaloniki, damage
• Thessaloniki, damaged
• Thessaloniki, destroyed
• Thessaloniki, destruction
• Thessaloniki, fire
• Thessaloniki, fires
• [anything on] Trikala/Τρίκαλα
• Volos, burned
• Volos, burning
• Volos, damage
• Volos, damaged
• Volos, destroyed
• Volos, destruction
• Volos, fire
• Volos, fires

And I searched Google News for:

• Άστυ, Αττικόν, Απόλλων
• Agrinio/Αγρίνιο
• Athens/Αθήνα
• Corfu/Κέρκυρα
• Herakleion/Irakleio/Ιράκλειο
• Νομισματικό Μουσείο
• Greece, destroyed
• Greece, fire
• Patras/Πάτρας
• Thessaloniki/Θεσσαλονίκη
• Trikala/Τρίκαλα
• Volos/Βόλος

Footnotes

1: Alternatively, 150 shops were looted, and 34 of those 150 were burned. Or, 150 buildings were looted and 48 (others) burned. Or, 110 buildings were damaged or destroyed, 50 of those 110 were burned, and 30 of those 110 were looted…

According to Athens Municipality and police, 45 buildings were burned; and 93 buildings were either seriously damaged or destroyed. According to the Technical and Industrial Chamber of Athens, 45 banks, shops, etc. were completely destroyed; and 125 others (70 clothes shops, 29 unidentified shops, 17 bank branches, 5 shopping centres and 4 bookshops) were severely damaged.

2: Andy Dabilis (@AndyDabilis) claimed that the ‘WWII museum‘ ‘adjacent’ to the Attikon cinema was ‘now gone too’. However, the Attikon is on Stadiou Street, while the War Museum is 1.5km away on Rizari Street; the Museum of the City of Athens is 200m away on Paparigopoulou; and the Greek Navy Museum is 1.2km away on Voulgari.