US retailer to forfeit ancient Iraqi artefacts in settlement with Justice Dept.


Arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby has agreed to forfeit thousands of illegally smuggled ancient Middle Eastern artifacts obtained from antiquities dealers, the company and U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

US retailer to forfeit ancient Iraqi artefacts in settlement with Justice Dept.
Cuneiform tablet, one of several artifacts smuggled from Iraq by owners of Hobby Lobby, according to a civil complaint
 filed on Wednesday by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn. Under an agreement with the federal government, 
the company consented to return some of the items and improve the way its collects antiquities 
[Credit: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York]
The forfeiture will include some 5,500 artifacts purchased by Hobby Lobby Inc that originated from the region of modern-day Iraq and were shipped under false labels, as well as an additional $3 million to settle the civil charges, the Department of Justice said in a statement.

"The protection of cultural heritage is a mission that (Homeland Security Investigations) and its partner U.S. Customs and Border Protection take very seriously as we recognise that while some may put a price on these artifacts, the people of Iraq consider them priceless,” Angel Melendez, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York, said in the statement.

US retailer to forfeit ancient Iraqi artefacts in settlement with Justice Dept.
The owners of Hobby Lobby have consented to return this cuneiform tablet and other artifacts smuggled 
from Iraq. The company also has promised to improve the way it collects antiquities
[Credit: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York]
Privately held Hobby Lobby said that it was new to the world of antiquities when it began acquiring historical items in 2009 and made mistakes in relying on dealers and shippers who "did not understand the correct way to document and ship" them.

The company's president, Steve Green, is the chairman and founder of the Museum of the Bible, which is under construction in Washington, D.C.

US retailer to forfeit ancient Iraqi artefacts in settlement with Justice Dept.
One of the clay bullae that were mislabelled and shipped to Hobby Lobby stores 
[Credit: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York]
The artifacts being forfeited include cuneiform tablets and bricks, clay bullae and cylinder seals. Cuneiform is an ancient system of writing on clay tablets.

"At no time did Hobby Lobby ever purchase items from dealers in Iraq or from anyone who indicated that they acquired items from that country," Green said in his statement. "Hobby Lobby condemns such conduct and has always acted with the intent to protect ancient items of cultural and historical importance. ...

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