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Experts Convene To Discuss Implications Of The Illicit Trade

October 27, 2017

“Everyday someone turns up an antiquity by virtue of chance… then what happens? That is the darkest chapter.” This was the response of Maxwell Anderson, the author of Antiquities: What Everyone Needs to Know, when asked what drove him to write his latest book.

Experts in the field gathered at an event hosted by the Antiquities Coalition on October 26 to discuss this question’s implications, while celebrating the excellent penmanship of Anderson—notably his ability to provide insights into the museum world, in a packaging that is accessible to everyone.

The high-level discourse was representative of the overwhelming support in the field for scholarly work, excellent writing, and raising awareness about the illicit trade.

Antiquities: What Everyone Needs to Know is one of the newer books in Oxford University Press’ acclaimed What Everyone Needs to Know series, and Anderson undertook the challenge of informing his readership about the field artfully, and in a way that successfully continues to instill awareness about the illicit trade to those who delve into its pages.  

To read our full book review of Antiquities: What Everyone Needs to Know, click here.

To learn more about the author, and read his other books, click visit his website.


Dr. Maxwell L. Anderson has researched, published, and presented exhibitions of ancient artworks for more than thirty years. He was a curator in the Department of Greek and Roman Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art for over six years and more recently at the Dallas Museum of Art. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the New Cities Foundation.