10-14-2009, 08:37 PM
Quote: Archaeological context is very important, yes, but the object still has a lot to tell us on its own, and burying our heads in the sand because the object was not excavated by one of the annointed few, serves no one. Randall
Nonetheless, this is correct, and my opinion, too. But the circumstances are difficult, Randy. I prepared a very big publication of selected material from the Guttmann-collection, but monday evening I was unequivocally told that I would get only in trouble with that because all of the material came from the art market. My work wouldn't be printed in periodicals I favored and I would be shunned, Randy, think about that. You americans are more flexible in this case, I think. Furthermore, the helmets are immensely interested but in modern day archaeology there's more wanted than simple typology and manufacture-technics, which isn't possible without provenance.
Additionally, the danger of forgeries is immense. Randy, there's at least one forged helmet on your website!
Jörg