Before I lose myself in the blog post I& #39;ll start a slow-moving thread of cultural objects that were NOT safe, NOT in better hands outside of their country/community of origin. When colonial powers did NOT protect cultural objects. Add some yourself. Let& #39;s bust up that myth: https://twitter.com/DrDonnaYates/status/1300714346616631296">https://twitter.com/DrDonnaYa...

The Dresden Codex is 1 of ~4 surviving Maya books: 4 books left from an entire literate culture. It& #39;s so beautiful that I cried seeing it in person. It was seriously damaged in WWII (bombing of Dresden). Wouldn& #39;t have happened if it was in Central America. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden_Codex">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dres...

1930s: the BM scraped the Parthenon Sculptures w/ a wire brush to make the marble & #39;more white& #39;. This also removed any trace of pigment AND rubbed off the fine details of muscles, sinews, etc. Sculptured that remained in Greece? Not scraped smooth http://www.parthenon.newmentor.net/cleaning.htm ">https://www.parthenon.newmentor.net/cleaning....

In the 1930s, Swedish Consul General in Peru illegally exported looted ancient textiles to a Swedish museum. They were improperly stored and they deteriorated. They are slowly being returned to Peru, but they all have to be stabilised and restored first. http://www.anonymousswisscollector.com/2014/06/paracas-past-looting-and-trafficking-of-mummy-bundle-textiles-from-peru.html">https://www.anonymousswisscollector.com/2014/06/p...

Last week, 27 ancient Asian sculptures from various countries were stolen from the Wilfrid Israel Museum of Asian Art & Studies in Israel: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/historic-asian-artwork-stolen-from-museum-on-israeli-kibbutz-639468">https://www.jpost.com/israel-ne...

18 Chinese jade artefacts were stolen right out of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge in 2012. There have been convictions for the thieves but the artefacts have not been recovered https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/04/museum-robbery-gang-imprisoned-for-six-years">https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...