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The world's most disputed antiquities: a top 5 list
One of the biggest arguments in the art world is the repatriation of objects, particularly antiquities. On one side of the debate are art scholars who feel that ancient objects should remain in the care of their current (usually Western) museums or locations. The other side argues that antiquities should be returned to the countries from which they were removed because they were taken during times of war and colonization or were stolen and sold through the highly lucrative art black market.
It's true that a great many antiquities and works of art we enjoy at museums today may have been acquired through looting or other unsavory practices. Here are five of the most famous works of art that have been repatriated or are the focus of an ongoing battle for ownership.
1) Elgin Marbles
Where are they now? The British Museum, London
Where were they? The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
The Elgin Marbles, pictured in the featured image above, are synonymous with the repatriation debate. Also known as the Parthenon Marbles, these remarkable marble carvings once fronted the Parthenon and other buildings on Athens' ancient Acropolis. They were removed - some say vandalized - by Lord Elgin, former Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, in the late 18th century and sold in 1816 to London's British Museum, where they have lived ever since. Authorities in Greece have been trying for decades to have the marbles returned to Athens where they can be reunited with other Greek antiquities in the Acropolis Museum.
2) Obelisk of Aksum
Where is it now? Aksum, Ethiopia
Where was it? Rome, Italy
One of the first, high-profile repatriations of an antiquity was the return by Italy of the Obelisk of Aksum (or Axum) to Ethiopia. Pillaged by Mussolini's troops in 1937, the 1,700-year old obelisk stood for years in the center of a traffic circle in Rome until 2005 when the government of Italy agreed to its return. The Obelisk of Aksum now resides with objects of a similar era at the Aksum World Heritage site in northern Ethiopia.
3) Objects from King Tut's Tomb
Where are they now? The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Where are they headed? Giza, Egypt
As described in the intro, these priceless objects from King Tut's tomb are set to be returned to Egypt next week. Egypt plans to install these objects at the new Grand Egyptian Museum, currently under construction and slated to open in 2012
4) Dea Morgantina (Aphrodite)
Where is it now? Aidone, Sicily
Where was it? Getty Museum, Los Angeles
The investigative reporting of two L.A. Times journalists was responsible for the recent repatriation of the Dea Morgantina, an ancient Aphrodite sculpture that had been a prized possession of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities at the World's Richest Museum, which takes a look at the repatriation debate and the flourishing arts black market, led the Getty Museum to return the stolen statue to its rightful home. The Aphrodite was inaugurated at the Archeological Museum of Morgantina in Sicily in early May 2011.
5) Hattuşa Sphinx
Where is it now? Istanbul, Turkey
Where was it? Berlin, Germany
Just last week, an ancient sphinx returned home to Turkey after years spent in Berlin's Pergamon Museum. One of a pair of sphinxes that stood in the ancient Hittite capital of Hattuşa, the sphinx will be restored at the Istanbul Archeological Museum before being returned to its ancient home approximately 150 miles northeast of Ankara.
[Flickr image via telemax]
Where are they now? The British Museum, London
Where were they? The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
The Elgin Marbles, pictured in the featured image above, are synonymous with the repatriation debate. Also known as the Parthenon Marbles, these remarkable marble carvings once fronted the Parthenon and other buildings on Athens' ancient Acropolis. They were removed - some say vandalized - by Lord Elgin, former Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, in the late 18th century and sold in 1816 to London's British Museum, where they have lived ever since. Authorities in Greece have been trying for decades to have the marbles returned to Athens where they can be reunited with other Greek antiquities in the Acropolis Museum.
2) Obelisk of Aksum
Where is it now? Aksum, Ethiopia
Where was it? Rome, Italy
One of the first, high-profile repatriations of an antiquity was the return by Italy of the Obelisk of Aksum (or Axum) to Ethiopia. Pillaged by Mussolini's troops in 1937, the 1,700-year old obelisk stood for years in the center of a traffic circle in Rome until 2005 when the government of Italy agreed to its return. The Obelisk of Aksum now resides with objects of a similar era at the Aksum World Heritage site in northern Ethiopia.
3) Objects from King Tut's Tomb
Where are they now? The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Where are they headed? Giza, Egypt
As described in the intro, these priceless objects from King Tut's tomb are set to be returned to Egypt next week. Egypt plans to install these objects at the new Grand Egyptian Museum, currently under construction and slated to open in 2012
4) Dea Morgantina (Aphrodite)
Where is it now? Aidone, Sicily
Where was it? Getty Museum, Los Angeles
The investigative reporting of two L.A. Times journalists was responsible for the recent repatriation of the Dea Morgantina, an ancient Aphrodite sculpture that had been a prized possession of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities at the World's Richest Museum, which takes a look at the repatriation debate and the flourishing arts black market, led the Getty Museum to return the stolen statue to its rightful home. The Aphrodite was inaugurated at the Archeological Museum of Morgantina in Sicily in early May 2011.
5) Hattuşa Sphinx
Where is it now? Istanbul, Turkey
Where was it? Berlin, Germany
Just last week, an ancient sphinx returned home to Turkey after years spent in Berlin's Pergamon Museum. One of a pair of sphinxes that stood in the ancient Hittite capital of Hattuşa, the sphinx will be restored at the Istanbul Archeological Museum before being returned to its ancient home approximately 150 miles northeast of Ankara.
[Flickr image via telemax]
Filed under: Arts and Culture
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
miguel Aug 4th 2011 9:11AM
The list is inmense on vissibility. Peru recently recuperated several thousand objects from Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham 100 years ago and is requesting the return of 100 precious textiles from the Gotemburg museum stolen in the 30s.
Melanie Renzulli Aug 5th 2011 10:08PM
Great tip, Miguel! Maybe we'll do a follow-up post.
-MR
Anonymous Aug 5th 2011 10:07PM
As a museum employee I can tell you that the curatorial staff goes through extreme diligence before acquiring a work of ancient art. In most of the countries where antiquities are found there is legislation in place to make sure that nothing is illegally excavated and sold on the black market. But with the sums of money involved, I'm sure many find it's worth the risk to try. And I've heard that if you as a property owner declare that antiquities are found, your property will be "tied up by the feds" for years, causing you much hassle- another reason not to declare any discovery.
I've gone off-topic a bit but my point was that American museums really do try to do the right thing when it comes to antiquities.
Melanie Renzulli Aug 5th 2011 10:08PM
That's great to know, anon. I do in my heart of hearts think the people working in the museums try to do the right thing. But in many cases, museums are working with legacy objects that may have been obtained unlawfully.
Thanks for your comment!
-MR
KWAME OPOKU Aug 6th 2011 2:24AM
What about the Benin bronzes?
Melanie Renzulli Aug 5th 2011 10:08PM
Good question, Kwame. Perhaps we'll investigate these for a follow-up post.
Thanks for your comment!
-MR
LG Aug 8th 2011 1:40PM
To the eyes of an Egyptologist, this list is a bit odd. Why the Tut stuff in the Met? It was barely on anyone's radar until recent events. What about the head of Nefertiti and the Rosetta Stone? These are far more contentious and more important.
Similarly, why include the Hattuşa Sphinx when it is being returned? It can hardly be the subject of dispute any more. Ditto the obelisk of Aksum.
Perhaps you should have made two lists: one for disputed objects now returned, such as the sphinx, obelisk and KV63 bric a brac; and another list for things which are still the subject of lively debate, such as the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin marbles.
Melanie Renzulli Aug 8th 2011 2:46PM
You are right on, LG. There really could be another antiquities post listing what's been returned and what's still being debated. I do not profess to be an Egyptologist or an art historian, so the comments coming back on this post are enlightening. One of the main reasons for this post, however, was to tie together two recent news items - the returning of the Tut bits and the repatriation of the Hattuşa Sphinx.
Thanks for your comment!
-MR
lavon Aug 9th 2011 2:30PM
when is something legally taken in olden times? Did Elgin "steal" the marble of was it obtained thru "legal at the time" channels? I see no reason why something must reside where it was created. Humans move their stuff all over the planet. Including art objects.