Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, reaches Agreement with Türkiye to return Gold Necklace

The fragmentary necklace is believed to come from the archaeological site of Bintepeler, which consists of over one hundred tumuli, or burial mounds. In 1976, the archaeological museum of Manisa, Türkiye carried out excavations at a tumulus near Kendirlik in response to reports of looting in the area. From the burial site and from a local inhabitant, archaeologists recovered beads and other fittings that are nearly identical to those in the MFA necklace. It is likely that the MFA necklace originated at the same tumulus. The finds that were recovered are now housed at the Manisa Museum. The necklace, on the other hand, appears to have been smuggled out of the country.

The MFA purchased the necklace from a London dealer in 1982, at which time it was said to come from Asia Minor (another name for ancient Anatolia, which is today Türkiye). No other ownership history was provided. Scholars alerted curatorial staff to literature on the looting of the tomb and the comparative elements in Manisa. The MFA conducted its own research, and contacted the offices of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Türkiye through the Turkish Consul General in Boston about the necklace last fall. Following scientific and archival research which was carried out by experts from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, it was concluded that the necklace likely originated from the Bintepeler Necropolis Area in Manisa province.