Post by Shutter Girl on Apr 30, 2006 10:05:39 GMT -5
RJ and I watched a program on the History Channel yesterday about the business of looting ancient tombs and archaeological sites.
I've always loved archaeology but realize that the entire science is based on the disruption and looting of ancient sites. How do you think all of those museums around the world acquired thier antiquities? They were stolen from the sites, that's how. In the early 70's Unesco passed a resolution where anything stolen from a site needed to be returned to it's country of origin. Since then, Egypt has acquired many an antiquity that were in the hands of thieves. Many of these criminals are high profile art dealers, their stories are really pretty interesting.
Right now the Egyptian government is trying to get back a couple of antiquities that were placed in museums before the 70's, and therefore don't qualify under the Unesco ruling. One is the famous bust of Nefertiti, which is housed in a museum in Berlin, and the other is the Rosetta Stone, which is owned and displayed by the British Museum. Many archaeologists and curators argue that these important pieces are safer where they are currently housed (the Iraqis recently looted and destroyed many artifacts in the museum in Bahgdad) and that they should remain where they are. Also, more people around the world can see them and enjoy them. One dignitary said that these and other ancient Egyptian artifacts are their country's greatest ambassadors worldwide.
Should all antiquities be returned to their country of origin?
I've always loved archaeology but realize that the entire science is based on the disruption and looting of ancient sites. How do you think all of those museums around the world acquired thier antiquities? They were stolen from the sites, that's how. In the early 70's Unesco passed a resolution where anything stolen from a site needed to be returned to it's country of origin. Since then, Egypt has acquired many an antiquity that were in the hands of thieves. Many of these criminals are high profile art dealers, their stories are really pretty interesting.
Right now the Egyptian government is trying to get back a couple of antiquities that were placed in museums before the 70's, and therefore don't qualify under the Unesco ruling. One is the famous bust of Nefertiti, which is housed in a museum in Berlin, and the other is the Rosetta Stone, which is owned and displayed by the British Museum. Many archaeologists and curators argue that these important pieces are safer where they are currently housed (the Iraqis recently looted and destroyed many artifacts in the museum in Bahgdad) and that they should remain where they are. Also, more people around the world can see them and enjoy them. One dignitary said that these and other ancient Egyptian artifacts are their country's greatest ambassadors worldwide.
Should all antiquities be returned to their country of origin?