People walk through the atrium of the British Museum in London, Britain, Sept. 8, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

In 2012, Intelligence Squared hosted a debate on whether the Elgin Marbles should be returned from London to Athens. These marbles, a collection of statues originally housed in the Greek Parthenon, were taken to Great Britain by Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, in the early 1800s and are now in the British Museum. 

Greeks have long demanded their return, while the British have resisted despite changing public opinion in Britain over the years. Discussions have occurred between the British government, the museum, and Greece, but no long-term resolution has been reached.

During the Intelligence Squared debate, Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, argued that the marbles represent an example of Western culture and Enlightenment thinking. He described them as a great treasure of world culture, not just Greek culture.

Hunt stated that the British Museum serves as a global hub where people can view art and cultural relics from around the world and learn about the exchange of ideas. The museum houses over 8 million artifacts, some acquired during colonial expeditions, often by force or through controversial means. This includes items like the Benin Bronzes and the Admonitions Scroll by Chinese painter Gu Kaizhi. Therefore, the debate surrounding the marbles could extend to many other pieces in the British Museum's collection, and those of other museums as well.

Hunt emphasized that the marble, and other ancient relics, by extension, must "remain available to all, free to all in the world, at the British Museum." However, the notion that the museum is accessible to everyone is debatable. While admission to the museum is free, traveling to London and lodging are not.

Of course, any item can only be in one place at one time. London, being a relatively international city, attracted 19.9 million international tourists in 2016, making it the world's second-largest tourist destination, according to a report commissioned by Mastercard. The British Museum has reportedly offered to "loan" the sculptures to Greece, but Greece has rejected this offer on the grounds that the museum does not have the right to loan something it does not rightfully own.

Another argument is that the British Museum will preserve these cultural artifacts for future generations. It is often said that the museum employs some of the most highly educated and skilled curators and preservationists in the world. However, news from earlier this summer about a senior curator of Greek and Roman art being suspected of stealing artifacts and selling them on eBay has led many to question this claim.

The first indications of possible artifacts being listed on eBay appeared in 2016. The British Museum became aware of these listings in 2020. The suspected thief was only fired in August 2023 and has denied any involvement. Reportedly, about 2,000 artifacts were stolen. In 2012, a 2,500-year-old Greek sculpture of a head was allegedly stolen from a display by a visitor. There were also major cases in the 1970s, 1990s, and 2000s.

Thefts are a problem in all museums. The British Museum is not unique in that regard. However, proponents have argued that the thefts only intensify the need to return those artifacts taken illegitimately. Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni said this news "reinforces the permanent and just demand of our country for the definitive return" of the Elgin marbles.

Nigerian officials reaffirmed their demand that the Benin Bronzes be returned in full. The British took the Benin Bronzes during an invasion in 1897 and they have since been placed in museums around the world. Other museums, like the Smithsonian in the United States, have agreed to return them. The British Museum is still in possession of one of the largest Benin Bronze collections.

While similar principles may be involved in these diffuse cases, the specifics should be considered when each determination about an individual object is made.

Growing up, I always loved visiting Asian art exhibits at museums in the U.S. Seeing the traditional paintings, calligraphy scrolls, and statues from those civilizations helped give me an appreciation for Asian culture that persists to this day.

There is value in having diverse forms of art from across the globe accessible to people in different parts of the world. It does help expand people's minds. But the wishes of the ancestors of the people who created the art must also be respected.

Mitchell Blatt is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/MitchellBlatt.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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