Los Angeles Times
Nov 19 2011

Protesters want Getty to return pages from sacred Armenian book

Armenian church officials allege that the Getty Museum illegally
bought pages of the Zeyt’un Gospels, a manuscript that dates back to
1256. The Getty says it’s confident it holds title to the work.

By Brittany Levine

November 20, 2011
About 30 protesters called on the Getty Museum to return seven ornate
pages taken from a sacred medieval Armenian book considered to be a
national treasure.

The protesters gathered outside the gates of the museum Saturday,
holding signs that read “Shame on Getty” and “Our history is not for
sale.” Armenian church officials are trying to secure the pages, which
they say were illegally obtained by the museum nearly two decades ago.

The La Crescenta-based Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of America filed a $105-million lawsuit against the J. Paul
Getty Trust in June 2010 alleging that the museum illegally bought
seven pages ripped from the Zeyt’un Gospels, a sacred manuscript that
dates back to the year 1256.

The Getty bought the pages in 1994 from a private collection for
$950,000. The church says the previous owner was the heir of the man
who allegedly stole the pages in 1916 when the Turks expelled
Armenians from an area of the Ottoman Empire that is now part of
Turkey.

Getty spokeswoman Julie Jaskol said the Getty is confident it holds
title to the work.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress