Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

brooklynite

(93,848 posts)
Thu May 21, 2020, 11:42 AM May 2020

Authorities announce forfeiture of ancient Gilgamesh tablet from Hobby Lobby's Museum of the Bible

NBC News

Federal authorities announced the forfeiture Monday of an ancient tablet inscribed with part of the Epic of Gilgamesh from a museum backed by the arts and crafts chain Hobby Lobby.

The piece, known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, bearing a version of what's considered perhaps the world's oldest work of literature, was featured at the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. Hobby Lobby bought it in 2014 for $1.6 million from an auction house that was later found to have lied about its origins, federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York said.

Hobby Lobby, based in Oklahoma, was fined $3 million in 2017 after federal authorities said it bought thousands of artifacts that had been smuggled out of Iraq for the museum. The company opened the $500 million museum in November 2017.

The museum's chairman, Steve Green, is the president of Hobby Lobby, which won a Supreme Court case in 2014 over the Affordable Care Act's birth control requirements.

3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Authorities announce forfeiture of ancient Gilgamesh tablet from Hobby Lobby's Museum of the Bible (Original Post) brooklynite May 2020 OP
The US, Brits and Israel looted Iraq malaise May 2020 #1
There was a really funny video about stealing cultural treasure here a couple of days ago. jls4561 May 2020 #2
Thanks malaise May 2020 #3
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Authorities announce forf...