# data[].attributes.body
Each group will be assigned ONE case study of a work of art that was taken from its country of origin:

1. The Rosetta Stone

2. The Benin Bronzes

3. The Kohinoor

4. The Elgin Marbles

5. The Nefertiti Bust

# data[].attributes.body
Possible stakeholders to consider:

Government of the country of origin

Government of the country that acquired it

Private owner that acquired it

Activists/experts/NGOs fighting for their return

Average citizens of the country of origin

# data[].attributes.body
they were from the royal palace of the Kindgom of Benin, in the 13th century. they were created by the artists of the Edo people

# data[].attributes.headline
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, GF, Kian Ming, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.subject
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, GF, Kian Ming, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.body
The Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Marbles, are a collection of ancient Greek sculptures that were originally part of the Parthenon temple on the Acropolis of Athens. The Parthenon was built in the 5th century BCE as a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena.

In 1801, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, who was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, obtained permission from the Ottoman authorities to remove some of the sculptures from the Parthenon. At the time, Greece was under Ottoman rule, and the Ottomans allowed Elgin to remove the sculptures in exchange for a sum of money.

Elgin employed a team of artists and craftsmen to carefully remove the sculptures from the Parthenon and transport them to England. The sculptures were shipped to London and eventually sold to the British Museum in 1816, where they have been on display ever since.

The removal of the sculptures was controversial even at the time, and has remained a topic of debate and dispute ever since. Some argue that the sculptures were taken without proper permission and should be returned to Greece, while others argue that they were legally obtained and should remain in the British Museum. The issue remains unresolved to this day

# data[].attributes.body
The Kohinoor originated in India.

The first verifiable record of the diamond comes from a history by Muhammad Kazim Marvi of the 1740s invasion of Northern India by Nader Shah. Marvi notes that the Koh-i-Noor as being one of many stones on the Mughal Peacock Throne that Nader Shah looted from Delhi. The diamond then changed hands between various empires in south and west Asia, until being given to Queen Victoria after the British East India Company's annexation of the Punjab in 1849, during the reign of the then 11-year-old Maharaja of the Sikh Empire Duleep Singh, who ruled under the shadow influence of the Company ally Gulab Singh, the first Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, who had previously possessed the stone.

Sources: wikipedia

# data[].attributes.body
- The bronzes are part of Nigeria’s culture and history, and when they were taken away, their civil library was raided and vandalized, hence the return will help to fill in those gaps.
- For bronze casters, who learned their skills from their forefathers, it's very important to see the objects made by their ancestors back in their land.
- So that those who took the artwork can make reparation

# data[].attributes.body
it was taken by British soldiers in 1897 as an act of retaliation after the massacre of an unarmed party of British envoys and a large number of their African bearers.

# data[].attributes.body
It is an ancient Egyptian sculpture that was found in the ruins of the workshop of Thutmose in Amarna, Egypt by a Germany Archaeologist Ludwig,Birchardt. It is currently kept in the Neues Museum in Bermin, Germany.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, Kian Ming, GF, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.subject
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, Kian Ming, GF, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.body
The removal of the sculptures was controversial even at the time, and has remained a topic of debate and dispute ever since. Some argue that the sculptures were taken without proper permission and should be returned to Greece, while others argue that they were legally obtained and should remain in the British Museum. The issue remains unresolved to this day.

# data[].attributes.body
The diamond was signed away to the British after Maharajah Duleep Singh signed the treaty of Lahore. The diamond was given to the east India company as it was claimed as debt for helping the Indians in the Sikh war.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, Kian Ming, GF, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.subject
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, Kian Ming, GF, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.body
Others argue that Lord Elgin’s actions were questionable and that the sculptures were removed without the consent of the Greek people, who consider them an integral part of their cultural heritage. They argue that the marbles should be returned to Greece, where they can be properly displayed and appreciated in their original context.

The Parthenon is a symbol of Greek civilisation and democracy and the removal of the sculptures have been seen by many as a symbol of cultural imperialism.

# data[].attributes.body
A German archaeological team led by Ludwig Borchardt discovered the bust in 1912 in Thutmose's workshop. He concealed the nature of the bust by covering it in a layer of clay and smuggled it out of the country in 1913 despite provisions that prohibited any items of great archaeological value from leaving Egyp.

# data[].attributes.body
Indians believe that they should have ownership of the diamond as they think that the diamond was taken from them illegally and is rightfully theirs.

The Pakistani's just think the British should be nice and give the diamond to them.

The afghans think that the history of the diamond shows that it was originally taken from them by the Indians. Therefore, they believe that they are the rightful owner of the diamond and they should get it back from the British.

# data[].attributes.body
Egypt: Yes, it was taken from the country unjustly without permission. Hence its return is more than justified.

German Museums where the bust has been displayed: it has been over a century since it was taken and these museums already have the reputation of being in ownership of this bust. Hence, not returning the bust is justified

# data[].attributes.body
1. It cannot be moved. The number one reason is that the bust, made of a core of sculpted limestone and then finished with a layer of render that gives her that super-smooth look, is actually too fragile to go anywhere. The curator of the Altes Museum, Dietrich Wildung, has been quoted as saying: “It is an enormous risk to let her travel.” The museum is backed up by German Culture Minister Bernd Neumann, who has been quoted as saying: “We could never be certain that she would arrive in good health. They claim that the limestone bust with its plaster layers is very delicate and could be damaged by vibrations or changes in temperature. This argument has been slightly disproved by the fact that Nefertiti has been moved from the Altes Museum to the newly-refurbished Neues Museum. Admittedly the two museums are very close but the fact that she was moved would suggest that due care could also be taken to move her all the way to Cairo.

2. Egypt already has many antiquities.

3. The bust being on display in Berlin can help to promote tourism to Egypt.

4. Museums are to educate the general public regardless of its location.

The stakeholders in talk is the Egyptian government and the German government. Since the bust is originally from Egypt, the government should have a say in where the artefact should be. However, the bus was discovered by a german and is already in a german museum, hence the german government and egyptian government have to come to an agreement.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, Kian Ming, GF, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.subject
The Elgin Marbles (Le Tian, Kian Ming, GF, Avinaash)

# data[].attributes.body
Supporters of the British Museums’ ownership argue that the marbles were legally obtained by Lord Elgin and that he had the permission of the Ottoman Authorities who were the legal owners of the site at the time. They also argue that the sculptures have been in the British Museum for over two centuries and have become a part of British cultural heritage.

# data[].attributes.body
Ancient Egypt. 196BC, during ptolemaic dynasty on behalf king Ptolemy V Epiphanes

The Rosetta Stone, a symbol for different things to different people, is a dark-colored granodiorite stela inscribed with the same text in three scripts – Demotic, hieroglyphic and Greek.

# data[].attributes.body
In July 1799, the stone was found in the city of Rosetta (modern el Rashid) by French soldiers during Napoleon’s  invasion of Egypt.

On Napoleon's defeat, the stone became the property of the British under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria (1801) along with other antiquities that the French had found. The stone was shipped to England and arrived in Portsmouth in February 1802.

# data[].attributes.body
The British believe that they got it legally so they should not have to give it to anyone. The diamond has also been with the British for 150 years and they believe that it has also become a part of their culture and history as well.

# data[].attributes.body
Stand: Return

significance of the juxtaposed Greek and hieroglyphic scripts, predicting correctly that each script represented a translation of a single text

The Rosetta Stone is one of the most important objects in the British Museum as it holds the key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs—a script made up of small pictures that was used originally in ancient Egypt for religious texts.

The content on the stone represents Egyptian history. Even though we have successfully translated the languages today, the stone still holds importance in terms of proof of the cultures of Ancient Egypt. Egypt have the moral right to own their ancestors’ possession. Thus, british should return the stone

# data[].attributes.body
Yes, there are justifications put forth for the keeping of the Benin Bronzes in their current locations, such as museums and collections. These justifications are often advocated by various stakeholders who hold different perspectives on the issue. Here are some of the common arguments:

1. Preservation and Conservation: Supporters argue that the museums and institutions currently housing the Benin Bronzes have the resources, expertise, and facilities to ensure their proper preservation, restoration, and conservation. They believe that these institutions can provide the necessary climate control, security measures, and conservation practices to safeguard the bronzes for future generations.

2. Universal Access and Education: Some argue that by keeping the Benin Bronzes in international museums and collections, these artworks can be accessed and appreciated by a wider audience. They believe that these institutions offer educational opportunities for people from different backgrounds, allowing them to learn about the rich history, culture, and art of the Benin Kingdom and Nigeria. It is argued that this accessibility would be limited if the bronzes were returned to Nigeria and housed in a single location.

3. Research and Scholarship: Supporters assert that the presence of the Benin Bronzes in international institutions facilitates ongoing research, scholarship, and understanding of these artworks. Museums often have extensive resources for research, cataloging, and contextualizing the bronzes, which can contribute to academic knowledge, art history, and cultural studies. They believe that the study of the Benin Bronzes can be enhanced through collaborative efforts between international institutions and scholars from diverse backgrounds.

4. Global Cultural Exchange: Advocates argue that the display of the Benin Bronzes in international museums promotes cultural exchange and understanding between nations. They believe that these artworks can serve as a bridge between different cultures, fostering dialogue and appreciation for the artistic achievements of the Benin Kingdom on a global scale. It is argued that the bronzes can contribute to a more diverse and inclusive representation of world art in museums around the world.

Stakeholders who often hold these opinions include museum curators, art historians, conservation experts, scholars engaged in research on African art and history, individuals interested in cultural exchange, and those who prioritize preservation and accessibility. It is important to note that these viewpoints may not be universally shared, and the issue of repatriation remains a subject of ongoing debate and discussion.

# data[].attributes.body
The stone is in a way ‘rightfully’ the property of British under a treaty (Treaty of Alexandria)

The Egyptian government may not value this memorial as highly as the British government/ museums (not as valuable)

The stone symbolises the efforts of English and French scholars to translate the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic