British archaeologist Colin Renfrew is planning a speech for next week in Philadelphia that criticizes the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for its antiquities policy, the Los Angeles Times blog Culture Monster reports. Renfrew's lecture, which is sponsored by the New York–based group SAFE/Saving Antiquities for Everyone, pits the Getty Museum in L.A. versus the Met, praising the former and chastising the latter.

The speech is conspicuously titled "Combating the Illicit Antiquities Trade: The 1970 Rule as a Turning Point (or How the Metropolitan Museum Lags Behind the Getty)." Cindy Ho, president of SAFE, said of the title that "in this particular circle it makes certain people uncomfortable to directly mention the Met."

Two years ago, the Getty announced that it would no long collect antiquities if there was doubt about whether they had left their countries of origin before November 17, 1970 — the date when UNESCO first adopted rules to fight the illegal antiquities trade. The Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) adopted 1970 as its cutoff date last June, and shortly thereafter, the Met announced that it had agreed to follow suit.

Renfrew will deliver his lecture on January 10 at a reception honoring him with SAFE's 2009 Beacon Award for life-long service to archaeology and efforts to raise public awareness about the illegal antiquities trade.