"Gradel's disillusionment with academia was reinforced when he discovered that large-scale thefts had been taking place from the British Museum's collections."
"In 2023, the director and deputy director of the British Museum resigned, and a senior curator was dismissed as a result of Gradel's advocacy."
"Gradel found Graeco-Roman engraved gems interesting as they evoked the private experiences of people in antiquity and could still be worn as personal jewelry."
"By 2010, Gradel noticed signs that might have halted a less trusting mind regarding the authenticity of gems he was purchasing."
Ittai Gradel, a scholar in Roman religion, left academia to deal in antiquities after becoming disillusioned with bureaucracy. He discovered large-scale thefts from the British Museum and, after initially being told nothing was missing, escalated the issue to the museum's trustees and police. His efforts led to resignations and ongoing investigations into the loss of 2,000 ancient artifacts. Gradel initially focused on antiquarian books before specializing in Graeco-Roman engraved gems, which he found both fascinating and profitable, suspecting some of his early purchases were stolen.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]