A Penny for Your Thoughts

Should a country have ownership of all excavated and looted archaeological finds, if it does not have the resources to protect and preserve the finds? 

For instance, Egypt that is currently undergoing its second revolution where people's main concern is the country's future rather than its past (I'm not saying that focusing on their future isn't the right thing to do, in fact, in my personal opinion, the Egyptians are very brave souls for standing up for what they want).  However, because of their current focus, their past is left unguarded and the government does not exactly have the funds to support the protection and preservation of the archaeological finds. So should artefacts such as the Rosetta Stone and the Bust of Nefertiti be return to Egypt?

What do you think about this? If you have an opinion about this, do tweet me at @ArcEgyptologist .


-chelle-

Egyptian Heritage at risk

Personally, it devastates me to hear that smugglers/looters are going out of their ways and underground to find ways to enter the Egyptian heritage sites so that they may steal treasures that were meant to be preserved and conserved [Click the link below to watch the BBC video about this current issue].

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21958326

I believe it is so extremely necessary to protect our heritage for it is through our heritage that we have our national and individual cultures, traditions and identities.

So please click the link below and sign this petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/778/312/253/urgent-call-to-stop-the-pillaging-of-egypts-heritage/#

Thank you.


-chelle-