Getty puts Greece on hold

The J. Paul Getty Museum will consider Greece’s request to return four antiquities to the country after its new director takes up his position next year.

The Greek Culture Ministry said it had received a letter to that effect from Michael Brand, who takes over as museum director in January.

But the ministry said in a statement that it wasn’t satisfied with the response and would continue to press its case for return, by legal means if necessary.

The contested antiquities are a gold funerary wreath, a votive relief, an inscribed tombstone and a marble sculpture of a woman’s torso dating to 400 B.C. Greece claims the items were illegally smuggled from the country. Last month the Getty returned three artifacts to Italy that officials there said had been looted.