Imperial Ireland?

Victor

While I am disinclined to think that modern day Ireland is 'Imperialist', reading this article makes me think that there are some past wrongs (that are passively being perpetuated) that we should right. Not nesessarily to change history or tarnish the reputation of those involved, but perhaps we should have the microfilms and the Ethiopians should have the original book back.

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Irish Times: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2002/0208/1446737140HMETHIOPIA.html

Ethiopian PM hopes for return of country's treasures
By Paul Cullen, Development Correspondent

Priceless religious manuscripts which found their way to Ireland after being looted by the British army in Ethiopia in the 19th century should be returned to Africa, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia has suggested.

Mr Meles Zenawi was in Dublin yesterday to visit the Chester Beatty library, where he was presented with the library's collection of Ethiopian illuminated manuscripts on microfilm.

Asked if he would prefer to be taking home the actual manuscripts, Mr Zenawi said that in many cases duplicates of his country's art treasures could be found in Ethiopia.

However, where no duplicate existed at home, the microfilm was the "second-best option" to physically having the object at home.

At least one of the Chester Beatty's 51 manuscripts, Miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the early 19th century, was looted by the British army at Magdala, the mountain capital of the Ethiopian emperor, in 1868. Over 32,000 soldiers, many of them Irish, were sent in to rescue captive missionaries, but returned laden with booty, including more than 400 manuscripts. So many artefacts were taken that 15 elephants and 200 mules were used to take them away.

As a result of this and later plundering by Italian colonists, Ethiopia's art treasures are scattered around the world. The most famous is the 200-ton obelisk from Aksum, stolen by Mussolini's Fascists, which remains in Rome despite numerous promises to return it.

The Episcopal church in Scotland last month returned an Ethiopian sacred object which had been plundered at Magdala.

Sand

Im of the opinion that artifacts related to a particular culture should be with that culture. Im not terribly interested in museums, but Im sure that those who are can make do with duplicates as opposed to the actual nations who created these artifacts having to make do with duplicates.

Thats in a perfect world of course. In the imperfect world we live in warlords destroy artifacts as in Afghanistan or loot them and sell them to private collectors for a profit where they cannot be of benefit or interest to the public. In similar cases, or where the threat of similar cases may arise it may be best to preserve such artifacts in calmer locales where they can be safely held until their nation is able to protect them.

mike65

I 've wondered in the past where artifacts in museums and art galeries came from and under what circumstances.
One suspects many are here as a result of plunder, dodgy
deals and the like.

Mike.

Captain Janway

ethiopia has had a rough time of late. This can be best viewed by the following. If youthink of Ethiopia what imediatlycomes to mind. Exactly.
Perhaps it is time that sone of the things that were taken from it were returned. if it does nothing else it will return national pride

Shinji

There's a definite school of thought which wonders where these precious artifacts are safest. Ethiopa isn't exactly the most stable place in the world... This kind of artifact belongs to humanity as much as it does to Ethiopia, and while ideally it should be back in the nation where it was found, there is definitely the issue of its safety to be considered.

The Corinthian

So that's where they were... My great grandfather had commented that pickings were thin by the time he got to Addis Ababa...

Seriously though, artefacts move around as time passes: Napoleon pinched a good few obelisks from Rome when he passed through. Needless to say the Italians would have wanted them back, but then again, they only got to Rome in the first place because Augustus pinched them off the Egyptians.

So, historically speaking, s**t happens.

Clintons Cat

All your Elgin Marbles are belong to us.
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