For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in history. Unfortunately, my university program doesn't really allow for me to take all the history courses my little heart desires, but I can get away with sneaking in a couple Anthropology courses disguised as science credits (mwa haha). For those of you who aren't familiar, Anthropology is essentially a study of humans' interactions with the environment, specifically ancient humans. Anthropology oftentimes spills over into the field of archaeology, and that is where my book pick (and my recent archaeological interest) fits in.
The subheading of Loot, by Sharon Waxman, is "The battle over the stolen treasures of the ancient world," which gives you a pretty good idea of the content. For any of you who have visited big museums such as the Met in New York or The British Museum, you know that the majority of their historical artifacts don't come from their homeland, but rather, fascinating and exotic places like Greece, Egypt and Italy. Before laws were exercised in the field of archaeology, the rule of finders' keepers was enforced. They became a sign of wealth and priceless artifacts are now often part of wealthy individual's estate, even though those pieces belong in a museum where they can be properly cared for.
Now that the countries that have been plundered for centuries are starting to see the cultural and monetary value in these pieces, they are requesting for them to be returned. Because the laws involving goods that have been removed from their homeland for centuries are blurry or even non-existent, a war is raging in the anthropological and archaeological world. And that war is precisely what Waxman focuses on in Loot.
Loot is specifically about 4 museums: the Louvre, the Met, the British Museum and the J. Paul Getty Museum, all being fought by Greece, Turkey, Italy and Egypt for goods and artifacts they consider to be rightfully theirs. Big points of contention are the Elgin Marbles from Greece and the Rosetta Stone (along with another bazillion artifacts) from Egypt. Each country stakes its historical and cultural claim on the pieces, as do the museums.
If, the museums argue, these priceless pieces were not locked securely in their hands, they may have been destroyed in their homelands. Not only that, but most people will never see these artifacts if they are kept in their homeland because they are not ideal travel situations, especially when war breaks out. The museums also claim that in a war, these artifacts may be destroyed either by accident or for the invading country to make a point. They say that for the sake of the artifact, the more established and respected museums should care for them.
But again, museums generate money from having these items; if the Mona Lisa was in Italy and not the Louvre, how many people do you think would visit the Louvre?
But in defense of the museums, if they decide that one item (the Mona Lisa, for instance) would be more appropriate in its homeland, then every other country who has a piece in the museum will be calling, asking for their rightful items. And then where would that leave us?
Waxman poses these questions and more as she exposes all of us to such a deep, slippery slope. One that I never considered or even realized existed before picking up Loot.
While Waxman's research (or any research that isn't assigned by a professor) may not interest everyone, I found the book incredibly riveting. And if you have an interest in history, archaeology or, I don't know, even just visiting museums, you too will find it fascinating to read about what happens behind the scenes.
With a long break coming up and nothing to do, maybe it's time to drop the textbooks and avoid the beach reads. Pick up Loot and learn a little something for yourself. You may not have ever given much thought to historical artifacts and who has the right to own them, but it is definitely something worth your thoughts.Get more detail about
Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World.
