Imagine that one piece of history that is taken from a town. This piece of history tells l people how this town was built and all the important people that were apart of the community. “Returning Antiquities to Their Countries of Origin” by Joyce Mortimer can many people about how objects are getting taken from Museums. They should be returned immediately. There are so many artifacts out there that could be so important to people, and if someone can just imagine what it would feel to have one of the most important object taken from a museum and to be never returned again. Many people enjoy seeing these objects so why are they being taken? Other countries that are taking these artifacts that aren’t even theirs are way out of line. In the third
Archaeology and the Trojan War “. he [Heinrich Schliemann] found layers of ruins. and two bore unmistakable signs of violent destruction. One of these layers, the seventh according to more recent excavators, was no doubt the city of Priam and Hector. The historicity of the Homeric tale has been demonstrated archaeologically.”
However, I feel this act forces archeologists to halt further investigations and possibly damages lost records of history. Returning these artifacts and bones prevents them from being preserved a...
James Riding points out this issue in his article, "James Riding In Presents a Pawnee Perspective on Repatriation, 1996."When Riding reported, "consequently, orgies of grave looting occurred without remorse" (p. 491) it brought to mind having seen Indian artifacts for sell. This has been a common practice for many years. It is impossible for me to guess how much loot has been carried off from Indian burial sites over the years. The important point is to note that this has taken place, and Native Americans do want these artifacts
Yale brings up the question of should people be able to buy and sell antiquities?
For years on end, countries have been fighting with big museums from other countries for ancient artifacts that belong to the original countries. The argument of whether or not the museums should be able to keep them still remains. It is the right of the country to have their own artifacts. It is imperative for countries to be able showcase their historical artifacts, therefor museums should return them to their rightful owners.
Archaeologist should leave the historical artifacts from the RMS Titanic where they are and not take them from were they originally are. Removing artifacts is disrespectful because it is wrong thing for all those people who died because it’s a memorial to them.
Throughout modern times countries have sought to acquire more control over archaeological discoveries found, that hold cultural, religious and social meaning. This can be seen in countries such as Iraq and Greece who place strict sanctions on any excavation, as anything found is considered property of the country, therefore removing it would result in possible prison sentences. Such restrictions on excavations begs the question over the ownership of antiquities, and illustrates the political tensions that can arise due to archaeology. Additionally, the ethicise over the ownership of relics from the past can be seen in the collection and preservation of artefacts particularly in places such as museums. Starkly prominent examples over the care of items and their ownership can be seen in the cleaning of the Elgin Marbles, which through an acid wash by the British Museum’s workers, resulted in significant deterioration of the marble.
In “Whose Culture Is It, Anyway? ”, Kwame Anthony Appiah begins by pointing out that some of the museums of the world, particularly in the West, have large collections of artefacts and objects which were robbed from developing and poor countries. He then raises a question: who owns these cultural patrimony and properties? Our first answer may be that since they make up the cultural heritage of a people, they belong to the people and culture from whom they were taken. Appiah has doubt about this and argues that if some cultural artefacts are potentially valuable to all human beings, they should belong to all of humanity. He thinks that when they make contribution to world culture, they should be protected by being made available to those who would benefit from experiencing them and put into trusteeship of humanity.
“The Kwakwaka’wakw formed a society called the U’mista Cultural Society in the 1970s” (Zasibley, 2015). This society that was created, produced a petition for the government to return their illegally stolen articles. The society work hard to obtain their items but the government was not on board with the decision. “The government decided that the only way the Native Americans and First Nations peoples could attain their items in their homeland was if the museums was maintaining the artifacts had significant conditions to store the artifacts in” (Zasibley, 2015).
The phenomenon of looting has been in existence for centuries. Looting is the destructive and illegal appropriation and trade of artifacts. The act of looting falls into three distinct categories: war looting, archeological removal, and the looting of industry. Archeological removal, the theft of antiquities taken illegally from their environment or designated museum, is the form referred to within this essay (). The consequences of looting artifacts are numerous and affect more than just the culture the artifacts belong to. Museums have a history of promoting looting that, despite ethical codes, they continue to do covertly. However, museums have the ability to do more than they are currently.
Of the many crimes that are present in this day and age, one that not only vandalizes the property, but as well as historical background is that of art theft. A crime that has taken away the sanctity of churches as well as many other religious and historical sites. Thefts have ranged from WWII (World War II) to the times of the Holocaust. Of the items that were taken from the churches, relics were items of great priority. These items not only had great value to the churches they were stolen from, but a great value to relic collectors. Most of the items taking during these times were either sold or placed in underground storage. Most of these items that were place in these secret places were never to be seen again. From the times of these so called “relic hunters” to now, art theft has become something that has taken some extreme changes. It has evolved from crime that started with minor relic thefts to something that has become a worldwide crime in need of better prevention.
Our cultural heritage is shared and preserved through artifacts and archeological sites. Studying these allows us to deepen our understanding of the past. Archaeological looting has been and continues to be a serious global issue. Once theses sacred artifacts and sites are destroyed, or sold illegally into the market, they are gone and can never be replaced. A part of our story as a human race is lost.
According to The Society for American Archaeology, the definition of Archaeology is, “to obtain a chronology of the past, a sequence of events and dates that, in a sense, is a backward extension of history.” The study of ancient civilizations and archaeology is rather ambiguous due to the primitive nature of the time period. With little imagery and even less textual evidence, professionals in the field must work diligently when studying their subjects. Naturally, archaeologists cannot see or communicate with those whom they are studying, so they must be extraordinarily meticulous when analyzing past cultures. This relates to all aspects of the ancient world including; foods, raw materials, artifacts, agriculture, art work and pottery. All of these elements can collectively provide new and innovative information to curious archaeologists who may wish to gain a better understanding of those who came before us. This information is equally beneficial for both historians and archaeologists who plan to compare the histories of societies from all around the world. In the world of archaeology, archaeologists strive to better explain human behavior by analyzing our past. Therefore, the study of archaeology is a key element in understanding a time before our own.
been in many wars and conquest previous to this encounter allowing their wealth, territory, and
The Merriam Webster definition of a museum is “an institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value; also: a place where objects are exhibited." To find an artifact, the first thing I thought of was going to a museum because it seemed the most obvious place to find a piece of history. As I searched through four museums and hallowed in the artifacts set aside there, I found nothing that peaked my personal interest of the study of humanities. Alas, it hit me; a cemetery would be perfect for my interest in customs of my personal religious beliefs. I had passed this particular cemetery countless times as a child that I had never truly thought of at all. What better place to find an object of permanent value than a cemetery? At the corner of Cypresswood and I-45, I began to sift into a cemetery that I had no true interest in, or so I thought. The cemetery was home to about twenty burial plots, each one a little different in its own way, but one particularly interested me. The headstone read Friedrich August Wunsche, Geb July 20, 1837, Gest May 3, 1897. I decided on this tombstone because of its architecture and time period of the person it commemorated; it is the sole surviving memory of this man. Etched into the bottom of the tombstone were the last words of his family to the world, faded and eroded by the winds of time they were left in German and incomprehensible to most modern Americans. The words had a meaning seeming to say, In Thee O Lord have I put my trust, which was repeated on the other tombstones in modern English. This is a shrine of sorts to his life; this man lived in the union, probably fought for the confederacy and then died when the United States was once again u...