SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
Help wanted - treasure hunter. That's the gist of what the British Museum is looking for in a new hire. The institution is still reeling from a heist discovered there more than two years ago. Hundreds of rare artifacts worth millions of dollars were stolen from its ancient Greek and Roman collections. As Art Newspaper reporter Martin Bailey told my colleague Scott Simon in 2023...
MARTIN BAILEY: The fact is that we, outside the museum, don't know what's lost. And I suspect that even within the museum, it's not quite clear what has gone missing or has been stolen.
PFEIFFER: The museum wants to track down these missing artifacts, and it needs a new dedicated member of its staff to do that. So what are the job qualifications? Maybe a fedora and whip?
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE")
HARRISON FORD: (As Indiana Jones) It belongs in a museum.
PAUL MAXWELL: (As Panama Hat) So do you.
PFEIFFER: Not quite. The job description is light on outrunning boulders and heavy on archival research and record-keeping. Think more librarian than Indiana Jones. So, would-be applicants, don't let your phobias stand in the way.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK")
FORD: (As Indiana Jones) Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
PFEIFFER: Instead, you'll need an eye for ancient gold jewelry, precious stones and glass, not to mention a network of contacts in the world of art dealers and collectors. The museum estimates that 1,500 artifacts were taken. More than 600 have been recovered so far. Finding the rest will likely take ingenuity and maybe some quick thinking, just like on the big screen.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK")
FORD: (As Indiana Jones) I don't know. I'm making this up as I go.
PFEIFFER: And while there may not be any foot chases, booby traps or ancient curses involved, the clock is ticking. Some of the stolen goods have popped up on resale websites like eBay, and museum officials are concerned it's just a matter of time before the stolen gold is melted down. As the head of the museum's Greek and Roman collection, Tom Harrison, recently told The Times of London, the search will continue until he is, quote, "retired or under the ground." So if you're an ancient history buff who loves a treasure hunt, why not fill out an application?
(SOUNDBITE OF HOLLYWOOD STUDIO ORCHESTRA'S "INDIANA JONES THEME (RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK)") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
