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Not far from Gerolimenas in Mesa Mani is the tiny hamlet of KERIA. Not many people live there but there are several old churches, the most significant and the most beautiful of which is the church of Agios Ioannis.
It was built in the 13th Century, during the Byzantine period, and,
judging from the ruined buildings within the church grounds, it was once the church of a small monastery or convent. It is a beautiful church but what makes it even more special is that the stonemasons, while building the church, decided to use an amazing collection of old marble, both Classical and Byzantine, which they found in the area. The haphazard arrangement of the stones on the outer façade of the church shows that they merely used them as a convenient building material, not with any great plan in mind, but the overall effect is no less charming.
The hotchpotch of random marbles is a delight, as are the two ancient columns stuck into the ground in front of the church. (see photo above)
The tombstone shown in the photograph was one such marble. It was laid on its side just to the right of the west door of the church and, what is even more remarkable, it was here that an intrepid Italian traveler, Ciriaco 'the Anconian', saw it in 1447 and included his sketch of it in his journals which he published in Latin in six volumes. His original journals were destroyed in a fire in 1514 but luckily copies had been made of the original and this is the sketch that survives today. (see above).
Two summers ago, a tourist who was using my book as a guide to find the churches, came to the office where I work and told me that the tombstone was no longer in the wall of the church. I was sure he must have been to the wrong place, so I drove down to see for myself and, sure enough, it was gone and enquiries very quickly established it had been stolen--not 'taken into custody' by the Archaeological Society. I was terribly upset, as were all those who I know love this area and have a special fondness for Agios Ioannis.
Last spring (April 2000) I went again to the church and discovered that yet another marble had been stolen. This time it was a small piece depicting a mounted warrior with a round shield and lance and wearing a plumed helmet. He is spearing a serpent on the ground and alongside the serpent is a large bird. (See photo below). Nobody I have asked could ever tell me whether it was an early 'St. George' and his famous dragon or something even older.
Theft from Churches which have a wealth of artistic heritage in their Frescos, Icons and Marbles is becoming more and more prevalent in Greece, and I'm sure elsewhere too. I have no idea how you prevent this--especially in an isolated hamlet like Keria. The thieves are to blame of course, but so are the so-called 'art lovers' - because like any commodity the rule of 'demand and supply' applies in these cases. If there were no buyers--there would be no thieves.
Well, 'Art Lovers', wherever you have mounted this lovely old tombstone and the old 'St. George', I promise you, they can never look as beautiful as they did in the wall of Agios Ioannis and your facile attempts to be 'cultured' with your stolen collection should bring you nothing but shame!
If I sound angry--it's only because I am!
I feel futile and impotent in the face of such arrogance and selfishness!
Lord Elgin set a bad example -- which others have been trying to justify ever since -- but his actions, and those of our modern thieves, can never be justified.
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