Aydin Dikmen
Encyclopedia
Aydın Dikmen is a Turkish
art dealer
who was arrested in 1998 for trying to sell Eastern Orthodox art that had been looted from Cyprus
during the 1974 invasion.
During the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus
in 1974, some of the churches and monasteries in the area were looted
for art treasures. Greek Cypriot authorities now suspect that Dikmen had a major part of stripping the churches of their treasures or at least selling them.
Dikmen sold thirteenth-century fresco
es from the St. Evphemianos church near Lysi
, Cyprus
to the Menil Foundation
in Houston, Texas
in 1984. Cypriot church approved the deal providing that the frescoes would be returned to Cyprus eventually.
In 1988 Dikmen, Dutch Art dealer Michel van Rijn and associate Robert Fitzgerald sold four Kanakaria church mosaics to US dealer Peg Goldberg for $1 million. When she tried to sell them to the J. Paul Getty Museum
in California, the museum curator contacted Greek Cypriot authorities. After a 1989 trial a federal court in Indianapolis
ordered them to be returned to the Greek Orthodox Church in Cyprus. They currently reside in the Byzantine Museum in Cyprus.
In March 1998, after an 8-month sting operation
, Munich
police recovered more treasures from apartments Dikmen had rented with a false names. Dikmen was arrested after he was videotaped when he tried to sell the treasures. Michel van Rijn cooperated with the police but later refused to testify against Dikmen after he had received death threats.
The returned loot included 30 frescoes from Antifonitis monastery, a mosaic from Kanakaria church and number of icons. They were taken to Bavarian National Museum
for safekeeping before being returned to Cyprus.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
art dealer
Art dealer
An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art. Art dealers' professional associations serve to set high standards for accreditation or membership and to support art exhibitions and shows.-Role:...
who was arrested in 1998 for trying to sell Eastern Orthodox art that had been looted from Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
during the 1974 invasion.
During the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
in 1974, some of the churches and monasteries in the area were looted
Looting
Looting —also referred to as sacking, plundering, despoiling, despoliation, and pillaging—is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting...
for art treasures. Greek Cypriot authorities now suspect that Dikmen had a major part of stripping the churches of their treasures or at least selling them.
Dikmen sold thirteenth-century fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es from the St. Evphemianos church near Lysi
Lysi
Lysi is a village located in the Mesaoria plain of the Famagusta district of Cyprus, north of the city of Larnaca.In 1960, there were 3,700 Greek Cypriots living in the village and approximately 6,000 in 1974 when they all fled because of the Turkish invasion and occupation of the north part of...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
to the Menil Foundation
Menil Collection
The Menil Collection, located in Houston refers either to a museum that houses the private art collection of founders John de Menil and Dominique de Menil, or to the collection itself...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
in 1984. Cypriot church approved the deal providing that the frescoes would be returned to Cyprus eventually.
In 1988 Dikmen, Dutch Art dealer Michel van Rijn and associate Robert Fitzgerald sold four Kanakaria church mosaics to US dealer Peg Goldberg for $1 million. When she tried to sell them to the J. Paul Getty Museum
J. Paul Getty Museum
The J. Paul Getty Museum, a program of the J. Paul Getty Trust, is an art museum. It has two locations, one at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, and one at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California...
in California, the museum curator contacted Greek Cypriot authorities. After a 1989 trial a federal court in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
ordered them to be returned to the Greek Orthodox Church in Cyprus. They currently reside in the Byzantine Museum in Cyprus.
In March 1998, after an 8-month sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
police recovered more treasures from apartments Dikmen had rented with a false names. Dikmen was arrested after he was videotaped when he tried to sell the treasures. Michel van Rijn cooperated with the police but later refused to testify against Dikmen after he had received death threats.
The returned loot included 30 frescoes from Antifonitis monastery, a mosaic from Kanakaria church and number of icons. They were taken to Bavarian National Museum
Bavarian National Museum
The Bavarian National Museum in Munich is one of the most important cultural history museums in Europe.-Building and History:...
for safekeeping before being returned to Cyprus.
External links
- http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/cyprus/index.html Mark Rose, April 20, 1998
- http://www.archaeology.org/9807/etc/special.html Mark Rose, July/August 1998