The Destruction Of Ancient Egyptian Relics From Cairo

A question that often arises when walking down a well occupied hallway of a museum is, â€Å"Who found this piece of history?†, or â€Å"How did it get here?† The answers to these questions still leave historians, archaeologists, art collectors and curators divided; whether their work leaves their moral conscience intact or brings them to realization that, in fact, these items were taken from their â€Å"rightful owners.† Ideally, the art belongs to its country of origin whether it is owned by the government or the individual. However, there are numerous circumstances that prevent this from playing out, such as war, reassigning borders of a country, and change in governmental policies and so on. In areas of turmoil, when the integrity of historical artefacts are under threat, external forces come into play in order to preserve them. Jonathan Tokeley-Parry justifies his smuggling of ancient Egyptian relics from Cairo during the ongoing economic crisis and the struggle with the Islamist terrorist group, Al- Qaeda, as the â€Å"only way to preserve ancient artifacts† (Who Owns Ancient Art? Part 1, CBC/Ideas, 2015). The insurgence of Islamist terrorist organizations during the 1990s into Egypt forced the local museums to sell off, legally or otherwise, their exhibits at highly reduced prices to neighboring countries, international curators, as well as smugglers. If these steps had not been undertaken, these objects would be used to fuel terrorist activities which would propel the nation intoShow MoreRelatedStolen Egyptian Artifacts1836 Words   |  8 PagesHosni Mubarak. Fires caused by the friction from the protesters, the police, and the civilians trying to stop the vi olence, spread the destruction up to the doorstep of the National History Museum. In a desperate attempt to save the museum and it’s artifacts, civilians linked arms and hands to form a human barrier between the protestors and the country’s national treasures. Despite the brave efforts by those who wanted to protect the museum, 50 relics disappeared that night. Unfortunately those wereRead MoreThe Form And Symbolism Of The Church Of Holy Virgin Essay1214 Words   |  5 Pagesdistrict of Cairo, 6 meters below the sea level is located one of the most inveterate Churches of Egypt. It is the church of The Holy virgin in Harat Zawayla in al-Qurunfish in the Fatimid section of Cairo. Three churches comprise this church: The first is dedicated to The Virgin Mary, the oldest and the most important, the second to Saint Mercurius and the third to Saint George. Inscriptions show that the construction of this church dates back to the ninth Century. Being one of the important reli cs of EgyptRead MoreMuseums Essays10752 Words   |  44 Pagestoday. Finally, the article describes major museums in countries throughout the world. HISTORY OF MUSEUMS Museums  stem  from  the age-old human desires to preserve cultural identity; gain social, political, and economic status; and pursue knowledge. The word museum—first used in English in the 17th century—derives from the Greek mouseion, meaning â€Å"seat of the Muses.† In ancient Greece, mouseions were temples or sacred places dedicated to the nine goddesses of the fine arts and sciences, which later