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Ohio Museum's Sale of Antiquities From Egypt Draws Criticism


The Toledo Museum of Art's Glass Pavilion in Toledo, Ohio, is seen in a Dec. 24, 2006, photo. The museum houses an impressive collection of ancient and contemporary artifacts.
The Toledo Museum of Art's Glass Pavilion in Toledo, Ohio, is seen in a Dec. 24, 2006, photo. The museum houses an impressive collection of ancient and contemporary artifacts.

Ohio's Toledo Museum of Art is selling 68 antiquities from its collection, a move drawing criticism from a nationally known archaeologist and Egyptian officials.

The Blade newspaper reports about half the items are from Egypt. Others come from Cyprus, Greece and Italy. They're being sold in a New York auction on Tuesday and an online sale closing the same day.

The museum's director says its board approved selling the items that didn't meet the current collection's quality. He says it expects to generate about $500,000, which can be used on other acquisitions.

Art expert and Toledo native Joan Connelly says it's distressing because modern laws make it difficult to acquire such items.

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