Acknowledgments The long period of research and writing has generated an Mieke Halbrook and Susan Allen (at the Getty) represent equally long list of scholarly debts. The first and most the best in art librarianship. I also recognize the help important thanks go to the Antiquities Department at the given to me over the years by the library staff of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Kenneth Lapatin, Claire Lyons, American Academy in Rome; the University of California, Mary Louise Hart, Jens Daehner, and David Saunders; and Los Angeles; the University of California, Riverside; the to former department staff Jiří Frel, Kenneth Hamma, University of California, Santa Barbara; the Sterling and Marit Jentoft-Nilsen, Karol Wight, and Marion True. Francine Clark Art Institute; and Edinburgh University. Recently, Alexandra Sofroniew, an Antiquities Department assistant curator, with keen eye and deft hand, has greatly Throughout my tenure at the National Gallery of Art, I aided the transformation of the manuscript into the book have had superb administrative support, and for it I and this online catalogue. In Antiquities Conservation, thank Rusty Powell, Alan Shestack, Franklin Kelly, heartfelt appreciation goes to Jerry Podany, Jeffrey Maish, Elizabeth Pochter, and Lynn Russell. The help offered by and former staff member Maya Elston. Michael Shilling colleagues while I was on sabbatical in Edinburgh during and Herant Khanjian of the Getty Conservation Institute an Ailsa Mellon Bruce Curatorial Fellowship at the Center provided critical scientific analysis. In the director’s for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National office, David Bomford, Stephen Garrett, and John Walsh in Gallery of Art and during a Summer Fellowship at the turn offered support at important junctures. The beautiful Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute greatly affected photography by Ellen Rosenbery speaks for itself. the outcome of the publication. In Williamstown, special Benedicte Gilman and Mark Greenberg, the original thanks are offered to Michael Ann Holly, Mark Ledbury, supporters at Getty Publications, are owed more than and Richard Rand; and in Washington, to deans past and appreciative words. Ann Lucke and Rob Flynn deftly present Henry A. Millon, Elizabeth Cropper, Therese picked up where they left off. The online catalogue is the O’Malley, and Peter Lukehart. The grants and fellowships result of the talents of designer Kurt Hauser, production supporting research abroad began with a Samuel H. Kress coordinators Elizabeth Zozom and Elizabeth Kahn, Traveling Fellowship. Summer grants from California assistant editor Ruth Evans Lane, and software architects State University, Long Beach, made possible the first Brenda Podemski and Roger Howard. The expertise of the Italian sojourns. Two Robert H. Smith Fellowships Web Group, particularly Jack Ludden and Susan Edwards, awarded by the National Gallery of Art were critical to has been invaluable. The anonymous reader offered research in Greek and Italian museums. priceless comments. Cindy Bohn, the manuscript editor, Any museum-based endeavor is a complex project, and deserves commendation for her skill and patience, as do institutions housing archaeological finds, especially Laura Harger and Greg Dobie. Last, but certainly not least, fragile collections, present special challenges. I owe a debt without Marina Belozerskaya, guide and lantern, the of gratitude to the many people around the world who project would have been benighted long ago. aided me in the firsthand study of amber objects. At Two great libraries and their staffs call for special museums in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, the mention, the library at the National Gallery of Art in Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany (once Washington, DC, my home institution, and that of the East and West), Greece, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Getty Research Institute, where I have been a Reader Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the since it opened. Neal Turtell, Lamia Doumato, Thomas United States, curators, conservators, registrars, scientists, McGill, Jr., and Ted Dalziel (in Washington), and Anne- photographers, and other professionals were instrumental to the research. Particular appreciation is 284