Easter Islanders want their moai returned - General Tiki

C Cammo Member San Diego Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 2041	C Cammo Posted posted on Mon, Nov 19, 2018 6:22 PM "Every ancient artifact in every museum in the world once belonged to another culture... But I also see how this could get out of hand." - MadDogMike This is a really interesting question, mostly because EVERYTHING in a museum is there because it has lasting cultural significance, heck brah, that's why it's there! What if a past government gave or sold a statue to a foreign museum, but the current government wants it back now? What if that original government was a dictator? Or - what if it was a democracy? Is there a right/wrong difference anyway? How do we ever settle the question for future generations, considering the fluidity of statecraft? An enormous amount of objects on display in museums were either originally stolen, slipped out of the countries quietly, or simply wouldn't be there under current laws; Egypt has extremely harsh new laws about removing their antiquities. (Basically, you can't remove them. Don't even try.) Of course, the Egypt of 100 years ago was shoving mummies at tourists. Yeah, and those statues made of gold? Sure, they're worth a LOT. Usually the term is "priceless."

"Every ancient artifact in every museum in the world once belonged to another culture... But I also see how this could get out of hand." - MadDogMike

This is a really interesting question, mostly because EVERYTHING in a museum is there because it has lasting cultural significance, heck brah, that's why it's there!

What if a past government gave or sold a statue to a foreign museum, but the current government wants it back now? What if that original government was a dictator? Or - what if it was a democracy? Is there a right/wrong difference anyway? How do we ever settle the question for future generations, considering the fluidity of statecraft?

An enormous amount of objects on display in museums were either originally stolen, slipped out of the countries quietly, or simply wouldn't be there under current laws; Egypt has extremely harsh new laws about removing their antiquities. (Basically, you can't remove them. Don't even try.) Of course, the Egypt of 100 years ago was shoving mummies at tourists.

Yeah, and those statues made of gold?
Sure, they're worth a LOT.
Usually the term is "priceless."

Post #791289 by Cammo on Mon, Nov 19, 2018 6:22 PM