How Europe Stole Other Countries' Artifacts

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  • Опубліковано 2 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 606

  • @General.Knowledge
    @General.Knowledge  Рік тому +56

    *There is of course a differentiation that has to be made on a case-by-case basis. Many artifacts were found, others were even given, while many were in fact taken and can be described as stolen in the sense that a foreign power invaded a territory and took it without the consent of those who owned them. The argument of 'spoils of war' is, I believe, invalid now considering that the Geneva Convention of 1949 explicitly prohibits the looting of civilian property during wartime. Maybe there was a silver lining in the 'stealing' in the sense that many items were preserved which would have otherwise been destroyed; but that doesn't change the way in which they were attained nor the fact that - in modern times, when their places of origin now have functioning states and organizations that are capable of conserving them - they should in most cases be returned.*

    • @Idk-ys7rt
      @Idk-ys7rt Рік тому +2

      Many in the British Museum

    • @mij6918
      @mij6918 Рік тому +4

      British waiting for viking loot to be returned then too I guess

    • @DavidLimofLimReport
      @DavidLimofLimReport Рік тому +1

      You missed out a certain golden ark containing the ten commandments that an American archaeologist named after his dog helped retrieve from the Nazis and later kept somewhere in a giant storage facility in the US. Think it might have been Arizona.

    • @DavidLimofLimReport
      @DavidLimofLimReport Рік тому +1

      Fortunately the Americans and Nazis couldn't quite get their fingers onto the grail that Christ drunk from during the last supper as that's somewhere below the city of Petra. Thank you Henry Jones Snr. RIP

    • @faenethlorhalien
      @faenethlorhalien Рік тому +1

      Regardless of any argument that might be made about their conservation, they must be all given back to their original nations. When I see museum people arguing that what they do is for the best of everyone, I just wanna throw up.

  • @o_s-24
    @o_s-24 Рік тому +398

    As a wise person once said: the pyramids are in egypt only because they were too heavy for the british to take

  • @cassianoneto1553
    @cassianoneto1553 Рік тому +97

    For a Brazilian example of this: a ritualistic Tupinambá cape (those people whose language named most of Brazil’s states in your video on the topic) was held at Denmark. The Brazilian ambassador to Denmark just read an article about it one day of the indigenous people feeling bad that all remaining ritualistic capes were being held outside of Brazil, so began talks with the Danish museum and government about giving it back. That involved flying those Tupinambá people from Brazil to Denmark to hold a speech in the importance of having those cultural objects close to them, and resulted in a deal to return the cape being reached this year.

  • @joieman
    @joieman Рік тому +35

    For the British Museum to be called the British Museum is quite ironic

    • @DarkFenix2k5
      @DarkFenix2k5 Рік тому +6

      Well, it does provide a fairly good snapshot of the British Empire. One aspect of the British Empire was a powerful academic curiosity towards the history and culture of other nations, manifested in the acquisition (both legal and illegal) of a great many artifacts around the world.

    • @jessicajae7777
      @jessicajae7777 Рік тому +1

      @@DarkFenix2k5 Thats the most disillusioned way Ive heard them described. Theyre bad people. period.

    • @DarkFenix2k5
      @DarkFenix2k5 Рік тому +3

      @@jessicajae7777 It's a practical way to look at it. To take the whole of a huge entity and label as "they're just bad people" is an absurdly simplistic viewpoint to take.

    • @jessicajae7777
      @jessicajae7777 Рік тому

      ​​@@DarkFenix2k5use some thought and it would lead to common sense that I obviously meant all those involved in what they have done. And there's many more sh*t people than not. The evil they've done is not defendable. And they're pompous for no deserving reason to even think such things. You obviously live there. Get over it.

  • @leannevandekew1996
    @leannevandekew1996 Рік тому +31

    The Rossetta stone was thrown away by the Egyptians as rubble.

    • @MohammedR-fk2ju
      @MohammedR-fk2ju Рік тому +5

      Not true! Even if it's true, it's still ours and we wish it back!

    • @silverletter4551
      @silverletter4551 Рік тому +18

      @@MohammedR-fk2ju How dare you declare it to be yours. Anyone named Muhammed had nothing to do with the ancient civilization which predated your religion. Your people didn't create nor translate the words. Just because your culture conquered the land, it doesn't give you any right to it. You are no better than Britain itself

    • @JamesWilliams-gp6ek
      @JamesWilliams-gp6ek Рік тому

      You don't sound like a winner yourself. @@silverletter4551

    • @MohammedR-fk2ju
      @MohammedR-fk2ju Рік тому

      @@silverletter4551 we are the descendants of ancient Egyptian, you arrogant ignorant

    • @thematthew761
      @thematthew761 Рік тому

      That's be like saying the Brits have no right to want back Stonehenge if it were taken because their ancestors took the land from others@@silverletter4551

  • @hodor3024
    @hodor3024 Рік тому +56

    Some things were blatantly stolen, but others were dug up and restored because the people living there, often not the same people who originally made those artifacts mind you, didn't bother to preserve them.

    • @General.Knowledge
      @General.Knowledge  Рік тому +16

      True! It's an important differentiation

    • @HaiLsKuNkY
      @HaiLsKuNkY Рік тому +4

      @@General.Knowledge also with regards to egypt back in the day they where muslims, and so they gifted a lot of the idols away because it was haram for them to keep them, now they are secular they want many of them back.

    • @zjpdarkblaze
      @zjpdarkblaze Рік тому +5

      items dug up mean that people didnt know that it existed or simply it was just lost. theres a reason it was dug up.

    • @zjpdarkblaze
      @zjpdarkblaze Рік тому +3

      @@HaiLsKuNkY that doesnt remove it as an egyptian heritage.

    • @jtgd
      @jtgd Рік тому +3

      @@zjpdarkblazeor it was just lost to time, which is most historical artifacts.
      There’s plenty of objects and things that are buried, lost or forgotten, to be found thousands of years later. Even domestically

  • @albevanhanoy
    @albevanhanoy Рік тому +38

    France has actually been very honest and upfront on that topic, and the Louvre is actively working with the governments of multiple countries to hand over several artifacts in an orderly and careful manner.

    • @abbofun9022
      @abbofun9022 Рік тому +5

      Indeed the are to be complimented for that, it is, after all, the only honourable thing to do.

    • @josueveguilla9069
      @josueveguilla9069 Рік тому +4

      Or just send them replicas and keep the actual artifacts. It’s a Win-Win.

    • @abbofun9022
      @abbofun9022 Рік тому +14

      @@josueveguilla9069 make replicas indeed but send the originals, that’s the morally right thing to do

    • @josueveguilla9069
      @josueveguilla9069 Рік тому +2

      @@abbofun9022 Or just send the replicas and keep the originals. Nobody will ever tell the difference

    • @abbofun9022
      @abbofun9022 Рік тому +6

      @@josueveguilla9069 if it is indistinguishable why do you then still insist in staying a thief by keeping the originals? Don’t you even see the immorality of your version?

  • @XelitexX360
    @XelitexX360 Рік тому +25

    Mexican here! "El Penacho de Moctezuma" or Moctezumas headdress that was the crown of the Aztec Emperor during the Spanish Conquista of Mexico/America. It's currently in a museum in Austria and Mexico has asked for it to be returned, which the Austrians deny by saying "its a risk to be transported" that far which sounds fishy imo. It's a shame because Mexico was the only country which openly opposed /didn't recognize the Anschluss (hope I wrote it right), basically not recognizing Germanys forced annexation of Austria in WW2. In honor of that Austria named a plaza "Mexicoplatz" or something like that in Vienna. No real hate or anger from México but it would be nice to have it back. Cheers!!

    • @martinbolanos7356
      @martinbolanos7356 Рік тому

      President Calderón wanted to trade Maximilian's Imperial Carriage for it back in 2010 for the Bicentennial festivities, then what you're saying was made public and holds up to this day. IDK that thing is 500+ years old, really fragile made out of feathers and other natural stuff I wouldn't want it to tear apart in an air turbulence or rough waters at the transatlantic voyage

    • @joieman
      @joieman Рік тому +1

      ​@@martinbolanos7356Well, how did it cross the ocean in the first place? 🤔

  • @Idk-ys7rt
    @Idk-ys7rt Рік тому +12

    UK will be here A LOT!!!

  • @secretsfullofsaucers
    @secretsfullofsaucers Рік тому +21

    Surprised the Ishtar Gate isn't mentioned in this, when I visited the Pergamon Museum it looked like a smorgasbord of artifacts which should be in other countries

    • @ΦραγκούληςΠέτρος
      @ΦραγκούληςΠέτρος Рік тому +2

      I agree, but a comprehensive list video would last about a month!

    • @Mochi-re8cv
      @Mochi-re8cv Рік тому +2

      Same as an Iraqi I’m kinda upset because it’s also really old and it is in a German museum but anyway I think he just never heard about it

    • @fabiankohring1440
      @fabiankohring1440 Рік тому +1

      If you think the Ishtar gat would be safe in Irak? After the destructions recently happening that unfortunately seems unlikely.

    • @ΦραγκούληςΠέτρος
      @ΦραγκούληςΠέτρος Рік тому

      Yes, the successors of those who stole the Ishtar gate saw to that. This is exactly the point!@@fabiankohring1440

    • @jessicajae7777
      @jessicajae7777 Рік тому +1

      Definitely not. They cant even keep children alive and safe and healthy AND happy of those that are so the last thing they need or deserve is anything of value, until they learn the meaning and act of the word

  • @j4296
    @j4296 Рік тому +21

    Fun fact: The Netherlands has returned most artifacts that were stolen, to countries that have asked. There is however an exception: The aft of the HMS James Prince of whales, once the pride of the British navy, was stolen by the Dutch form England and only briefly loaned to the Brits recently only to be returned after 2 years.

    • @otaviofrnazario
      @otaviofrnazario Рік тому

      Likely won in a war/battle

    • @j4296
      @j4296 Рік тому +7

      @@otaviofrnazario A raid actually. The Dutch landed, burned half the fleet, and took off with the flagship. So yeah it was stolen. There was no fight, only one of the greatest heists in history and one of the blackest marks in the history of the British Navy.

    • @otaviofrnazario
      @otaviofrnazario Рік тому

      @@j4296 interesting

    • @welshed
      @welshed Рік тому

      *Wales

    • @TomAdamson-m9i
      @TomAdamson-m9i Рік тому

      Thought that was the HMS Royal Charles

  • @bumble.bee22
    @bumble.bee22 Рік тому +29

    I'm not British or American, French or German, but I think these works are better preserved there than in their respective countries

    • @dariusalexandru9536
      @dariusalexandru9536 Рік тому +6

      well,you are right

    • @johnnyearp52
      @johnnyearp52 Рік тому +11

      Maybe, but it is theirs. If I steal your jewelry should I get to keep it because I am rich and can take better care of it? No. If it is yours you get it back.

    • @Jururuca
      @Jururuca Рік тому +2

      @@johnnyearp52 Yessss, sure, why not? Return the artifacts from Mesopotamia and Babylon to Iraq and Syria, the Islamic state will be waiting to destroy them at the first opportunity and no one will ever see them again. Great idea

    • @jmtz3149
      @jmtz3149 Рік тому +5

      @@johnnyearp52 But these artifacts predate the establishment of the countries. In some cases it belonged to a different ethnic group. They didn’t know their existence until some European decided to preserve it. You can’t really claim ownership to something you never knew existed

    • @ghostlyfieldclub2930
      @ghostlyfieldclub2930 Рік тому +5

      ​​​@@jmtz3149 by that logic no one should inherit anything from parents if they didn't know they had said thing

  • @stevejohnson3357
    @stevejohnson3357 Рік тому +11

    In the news recently. A museum in Scotland voluntarily repatriated a totem pole from BC. To get it out they had to take out a window.

  • @faustocastelhano7254
    @faustocastelhano7254 Рік тому +5

    Excelente vídeo!! Fun as always!!

  • @dedasalmeida9047
    @dedasalmeida9047 Рік тому +2

    I think we should give them back to the country of origin, however, to say ALL countries can't preserve them its an insult to former colonies.
    Im african and to say we cant preserve anything its to say we're savages and dumb ...

  • @melinda5777
    @melinda5777 Рік тому +1

    Best video from you in which I've seen.

  • @BoyNamedSue4
    @BoyNamedSue4 Рік тому +9

    The lions one is the only one that returning doesn’t make sense to me. But obviously everything is a case by case thing. If it’s stolen it needs to be returned.

    • @riazortho
      @riazortho Рік тому +4

      *If its stolen it should NOT be returned

    • @General.Knowledge
      @General.Knowledge  Рік тому +6

      There's definitely different situations. I agree with the case by case assessment.

    • @Naviamold
      @Naviamold Рік тому

      The Crown jewel one as well since a lot of different countries claim the ownership of it and it might get messy.

    • @jessicajae7777
      @jessicajae7777 Рік тому +1

      @@Naviamold And greed motivates each. They cant even care for their priorities they dont need to be worrying about a diamond that will just be pocketed. it needs to stay where it is

  • @urubu715
    @urubu715 Рік тому +29

    While the artifacts were stolen and it's good to see countries returning them, one thing to point out is that if these artifacts were not stolen, it's possible that the artifacts could have been destroyed or damaged had they not been taken and preserved. Not making excuses for taking them, but there is a silver lining to them being preserved.

    • @riazortho
      @riazortho Рік тому +10

      I don't think it's necessarily good that they are being returned, but I guess it depends on the artefact

    • @dfor
      @dfor Рік тому +8

      @@riazorthoyeah it really depends. Especially when with some artifacts, they were sold by a former government.

    • @General.Knowledge
      @General.Knowledge  Рік тому +4

      That's true, and now that the original places do have means of conserving them they can finally be given back.

    • @basillah7650
      @basillah7650 Рік тому

      Not really stolen when the real owners of them are dead the people they are being given to are no different than the looters that took them to fund the expensive journey over to these places.
      They only want them to make money off them in a museum which people have to pay for to see not free to the public.

    • @Huminahumina465
      @Huminahumina465 Рік тому +1

      @@General.Knowledge Lol most examples of that aren't remotely true. Egypt has plenty of Islamic terror issues, and having something from pre-Islamic Egypt is consistently one of the main targets of those types of terrorists.

  • @ChrisFan890
    @ChrisFan890 Рік тому +9

    The countryballs in the thumbnail looks cute ❤

  • @parmentier7457
    @parmentier7457 Рік тому +2

    In 2020, the Dutch king apologized in Indonesia for Dutch crimes in the former colony. The Dutch king also apologized this year for slavery in the former colonies of Suriname and the Caribbean. The Dutch government has also instructed all Dutch museums to return all looted art to former Dutch colonies such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Taiwan, South Africa, Suriname and the Caribbean by 2021. Attributes have also recently been returned to Iraq.
    A frequently heard comment among the Dutch population was that they believe that these countries cannot keep the attributes in good shape. The Dutch government has therefore promised that Dutch museums will help the countries and provide expertise to manage the attributes. They can also use Dutch museums to conduct research and gain experience.
    But the former colonies have also complained that the Netherlands is acting like a colonizer again by stating that they cannot manage attributes or museums.

  • @Akao31-gb7wi
    @Akao31-gb7wi Рік тому +3

    Fun fact: France has stolen Skulls of Algerian warriors during the Algerian Revolution, and I think even since the beginning of colonialism in Algeria, and these skulls are still part of the French Museum.

  • @AntonioZL
    @AntonioZL Рік тому +18

    Bro, the british stole A DOG. Like, dude... common... it's a dog.

  • @SilvanaDil
    @SilvanaDil Рік тому +10

    Mao did a pretty good job at destroying Chinese artifacts.

  • @legomattie3295
    @legomattie3295 Рік тому +6

    You can easyily do another chapter with countries as the netherlands and vatican city.

  • @angelcaicedomonterroso7564
    @angelcaicedomonterroso7564 Рік тому +5

    I'm from Guatemala. And we've also had this problem of cultural heritage artifacts constantly stolen from us.

    • @wazzup233
      @wazzup233 Рік тому

      Either you'll gonna blame Spain or the United States for stealing your country's artifacts but no one will gonna return them on what they'd stole before.

    • @joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536
      @joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536 Рік тому +3

      I am from planet Mars and we have had the same problem.

  • @eliotperl1438
    @eliotperl1438 Рік тому +2

    I loved the map without the uk in the intro

  • @Idk-ys7rt
    @Idk-ys7rt Рік тому +9

    Hmm... I think this video will mainly about a Europe and especially a European island that stole A LOT of artifacts.
    Also, great video again General Knowledge.

  • @davidbonilla7770
    @davidbonilla7770 Рік тому +1

    No debate, give it back. You can’t give back the freedoms and dignity you looted so return the artifacts that were looted

  • @firstcynic92
    @firstcynic92 Рік тому +7

    3:33. The Elgin Marbles were not "looted". The British had approval from the Ottoman government to remove them..

    • @Joshieboy75
      @Joshieboy75 Рік тому +1

      The were stolen the British need to return them to the Greek

    • @MChagall
      @MChagall Рік тому +1

      With that logic no artifacts have to be returned because the colonial power at the time said it was okay to take them

    • @firstcynic92
      @firstcynic92 Рік тому +1

      @@MChagall Greece wasn't a colony of Britain.

    • @MChagall
      @MChagall Рік тому +1

      @@firstcynic92 no but all these other places/artifacts were

    • @firstcynic92
      @firstcynic92 Рік тому +1

      @@MChagall I was only talking about the Elgin Marbles.

  • @Benwut
    @Benwut Рік тому +3

    Australian here. We have a huge amount of people (especially those in the Aboriginal communities) demanding stolen Aboriginal artefacts back from the British, but they ain't budging.

    • @TomAdamson-m9i
      @TomAdamson-m9i Рік тому +1

      Would be interested where these artefacts were kept, I mean Aboriginal people were hunter gathers no.

    • @Benwut
      @Benwut Рік тому +1

      @@TomAdamson-m9i Yes, but the British literally did stuff like tear out painted rocks with artwork on them from holy sites, robbed graves, and stole stuff like necklaces, spears, etc.

    • @TomAdamson-m9i
      @TomAdamson-m9i Рік тому

      @@Benwut The premise being the British were worse than anybody else. Humm ,perhaps those nice Russians will return one million artifacts taken from Germany after ww2.

    • @Benwut
      @Benwut Рік тому

      @@TomAdamson-m9i No, the premise is that the British were the only colonisers in Australia, and they still act as though it's perfectly ok to keep them from their original owners, even though we are now developed nations and allies. '
      Ur example doesn't make sense, considering Russia hates Germany. Britain doesn't hate us.

  • @BN.ja05
    @BN.ja05 Рік тому +9

    Expecting the Brits to return all the artifacts they have stolen over the centuries, is like hoping pirates to not loot and pillage.

    • @riazortho
      @riazortho Рік тому +4

      Yep, we'll never return them

    • @cjc520
      @cjc520 Рік тому +1

      Oh shut up! 😂

    • @archstanton6102
      @archstanton6102 Рік тому +2

      @@cjc520 Ignire the ignorant troll

    • @riazortho
      @riazortho Рік тому +4

      @@archstanton6102 I'm afraid that no ones trolling. There is literally NO reason to give away rightful British property. Also, I don't think they're referring to me in their comment

    • @Jururuca
      @Jururuca Рік тому +2

      Would you return artifacts from Mesopotamia and Babylon to Iraq and Syria? For what? for the Islamic State to destroy them?Definitely not.
      I was only able to see these objects thanks to the British Museum when I visited London. I hope they remain well stored there.

  • @Arauto_Kagnos
    @Arauto_Kagnos Рік тому +2

    The stolen artifacts should be returned!

  • @silveryuno
    @silveryuno Рік тому +1

    10:45 Obrigado! Em trinta segundos já explicas-te melhor a situação do que as noticias durante meses.

  • @jessicajae7777
    @jessicajae7777 Рік тому +1

    Africa and India and probably other countries need only to worry about taking care of and not advantage of their people their animals and their environment. I think caring about weather a select few are able to monetize an artifact for only their benefit is not important to even consider.

  • @juanmontull8550
    @juanmontull8550 Рік тому +1

    Happy to NOT see Spain in here, we might have something for sure but I have no idea😅🤦

  • @mariajoaoferrazdeabreu150
    @mariajoaoferrazdeabreu150 Рік тому

    Great video.

  • @Jururuca
    @Jururuca Рік тому +11

    Hipocrisy! We should be gratefull, specially to the British, for taking these items away, studying and preserving them. If they were still in their places of origin, they would probably have been destroyed by now.

    • @keepcalm2626
      @keepcalm2626 Рік тому +6

      So the Greeks that formed a country basing their heritage on Ancient Greece, would destory the marbles that represented that heritage...?

    • @General.Knowledge
      @General.Knowledge  Рік тому +5

      In some cases the taking of the items definitely assured preservation, but not always. Many of the taken artifacts were mistreated for a long time by the British. Regardless, now that the countries where they were found are capable of adequate preservation I believe they should be returned.

    • @Jururuca
      @Jururuca Рік тому +2

      @@keepcalm2626 Most historical artifacts were abandoned in their place of origin. Only after the British started catching them did the local people start to worry about it. If it weren't for the British, the marble from the Acropolis could have been used to build some kind of bridge.

    • @Jururuca
      @Jururuca Рік тому +5

      @@General.Knowledge I don't agree, even if the British were not diligent with all the objects, they are still much better off in England than in their home country. Even though some countries of origin are better now, I still think they should continue in England.
      They now belong to humanity, not to any specific country.

    • @joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536
      @joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536 Рік тому +1

      I think the same.

  • @limericklad2000
    @limericklad2000 Рік тому +2

    Hilarious how the Great Britain was just left out of the map of Europe at the beginning.

    • @gavblack
      @gavblack Рік тому

      we arent european we live on an island thats close to europe

  • @AngryCenturion576
    @AngryCenturion576 Рік тому +18

    I would disagree with the characterization of the Rosetta Stone as part of modern Egypt’s cultural heritage. It belonged to the ancient Egyptians. The modern day Coptic Christians are the descendants of ancient Egypt and are today a persecuted minority in Muslim-majority modern Egypt. If anyone has a right to the Rosetta Stone, it would be them.

    • @pierrebegley2746
      @pierrebegley2746 Рік тому +6

      The current regime of Egypt has a habit of co-opting Ancient Egyptian items. And honestly I'd much rather pay to go see the Rosetta Stone in Britain than fund the dictatorship in Egypt by seeing it there.

    • @Mochi-re8cv
      @Mochi-re8cv Рік тому

      @@pierrebegley2746 what ?

    • @dedasalmeida9047
      @dedasalmeida9047 Рік тому +1

      So let's let the British keep it? Is that your logic?
      The rosseta stone came from Egypt and it must stay in Egypt regardless of it's civilization era ...

  • @BN.ja05
    @BN.ja05 Рік тому +4

    I'm glad the San Agustín culture's statues held in Germany are getting shipped back to Colombia.

  • @conradmusicofficial586
    @conradmusicofficial586 Рік тому +1

    what other civilization in the history of Earth has had to give back their spoils of war? Why is Europe always especially scrutinized?

    • @conradmusicofficial586
      @conradmusicofficial586 Рік тому

      uhhh the case of ww2 is a little bit different, don't you think? They lost the war and the war was 6 years. These artifacts were "stolen" 200 years ago

  • @giorgospap7615
    @giorgospap7615 Рік тому +3

    Funny how the British claim that they keep the ancient Greek artifacts because Greeks "cannot protect them" but an employee of the British museum was stealing and selling some of those artifacts on eBay and other sites.
    🇬🇧🤡

    • @gavblack
      @gavblack Рік тому

      they arent your artefacts they belonged to turkey by right of conquest because your people and your country was conquered and we bought them from turkey, if you have a problem please take it up with turkey but we all know thats not going to happen LMAO

  • @stevetournay6103
    @stevetournay6103 Рік тому +1

    Fly in the ointment is that these treasures would often be extremely unsafe in their original locations...

  • @JARJCC97
    @JARJCC97 Рік тому

    I like your style of videos and you do A good job with giving information but I was wondering your old format didnt show the whole page at once it was cool seeing it zoom out at the end of hte video not in the coming up segment but otherwise keep up the good work and God bless.

  • @yaagodourado
    @yaagodourado Рік тому +1

    One recent story from my country (Brazil)
    20 years ago, a city in France (lile) lends Brazil for about of 600 indigenous ancient artifacts for an exposition. They never give back
    Only now in 2023, after so much fighting that they will return the itens

  • @nummer3357
    @nummer3357 Рік тому +5

    The Codex Argenteus (or Silver Bible), among other things, was stolen by the Swedish after the 30 years war

  • @taylorruckner5976
    @taylorruckner5976 Рік тому +1

    I'm just hearing James Acaster's bit in my head

  • @Gemna157
    @Gemna157 Рік тому +2

    Return the Rosetta stone to that fortress wall

  • @Otterly_luna
    @Otterly_luna Рік тому +1

    What about the Stone of destiny?

  • @jensschroder8214
    @jensschroder8214 Рік тому +8

    In Germany there is a commission for stolen works of art. But there is no legal basis.
    This committee was only able to bring back a few works of art.

  • @Stant123
    @Stant123 Рік тому +9

    Stolen is a very poor choice of word here. In very very few cases were the artifacts actually stolen from museums or private collections. Digging something up from the ground and removing from a country to preserve it isn't stealing, especially when the country claiming it was stolen isn't even the original group of people who created it, they just hold the land as their territory at present. For colonial Europe, all one has to ask is, who owns the land from which the artifact was removed? In the case of say, Nigeria (probably a bad example of the point I'm making, but I'm just going with it), they can claim, "it's our artifact, it came from our lands." and that's a fair argument, but at the same time, one must also acknowledge that if that a land claim is a fair argument to have, then the British or French are also entitled to that same argument. "Well, that land was ours when we removed the artifact. So it belongs to us." Similar situation when wars occur, who was in control of the land at the time? So this is why I disagree with that entire line. Land ownership is not rights to artifacts because land ownership has changed repeatedly over time and will likely continue to change in the future.
    In an example such as Apache Nation artifacts being returned to them, no one is returning artifacts based solely on the fact that they were dug up in Arizona, which is the property of the US, they are being returned because the Apache Nation still exists, even though they do not live on their original lands. They have a right, as descendants of the original creators, to have their stuff back, regardless of where they live now and where the items were found. The only argument that should ever be honored in the case of giving artifacts back is are the people asking actual descendants of those that created it? The answer given to this question is the answer to who is entitled to keep it. Now this isn't to say that it shouldn't be viewed in a positive light when a country that has an artifact donates it to another country that has a museum that can take care of it and is also in the general area of where the artifact was recovered, in fact, it should always be viewed in a positive light when this happens, with considerations to share the artifact since without the one country recovering it, it would still be buried in the dirt somewhere or maybe even destroyed by now.
    But let me just say that my biggest complaint about all of these museums fighting with each other over who owns what is: why? The whole point of having a museum is to show off one's culture to the rest of the world. Isn't it more appropriate to have your culture's artifacts spread out across the world to not only better protect your culture from being destroyed over night, but to expose as many people as you can to your culture rather than demanding it all be relocated to a place where that culture already exists and it's usefulness and reach is greatly diminished as well as making it vulnerable to being destroyed in one swift moment of bad behavior by some group? It's not like environmental groups haven't been attacking works of art the past few years... To me it just seems like the only reason why a museum would demand all of their stuff be located in their own country is for $$$, not cultural awareness. They want to force people to have to make the trip to their museum and pay to see it rather than have it out there in the world to make it more convenient for people who cannot travel to go and see it, and I completely disagree with that whole concept.

    • @jotareiss
      @jotareiss Рік тому +1

      Respectfully, when you say about "displaying your culture to the rest of the world" you are reproducing the western colonialist point of view which is the main point of this debate regarding returning artifacts.
      In practice, you are defending that some people can be deprived of their own cultural heritage so richer countries can enjoy worldwide culture even though they have no kind of other bounds with it than domination over it. To crown the argument, you explicitly says that third world countries doesnt have means to protect their own culture, which needs to be protected from themselves, reflecting the centuries of colonial mentality and anthropologycal positivism of western society.
      As an example, until recently, brazilians as a whole and particulary the Tupinambá pieople could not see the Tupinambá capes in person, because the dozen of them are all in Europe

  • @Maxim89Il
    @Maxim89Il Рік тому +7

    Many of those items were literally saved by being taken to museums.
    Also, many of them were found by European archaeologists where the locals didn't even have the concept of ideology.
    It really depends on the specific circumstances.

  • @zayjay2765
    @zayjay2765 Рік тому +23

    With current British economic crisis, they should give stolen artefacts back for reasonable 'withholding costs' 😅

    • @HaiLsKuNkY
      @HaiLsKuNkY Рік тому +3

      what economic crisis?

    • @cian9816
      @cian9816 Рік тому +2

      @@HaiLsKuNkY if you're british and haven't noticed an economic crisis then consider yourself lucky and/or priviledged

    • @thiccupcake
      @thiccupcake Рік тому

      ​@@cian9816brexit: great idea

    • @amon7039
      @amon7039 Рік тому +1

      ⁠@@HaiLsKuNkY When £1.30 cooking oil disappeared from the shelves of tesco and Sainsbury's apple juice went from the perfect £1 to £1.10, I knew the economic crisis is really coming.

  • @awellculturedmanofanime1246
    @awellculturedmanofanime1246 Рік тому +4

    at around 11:06 to 12:30 the problem with not clarifiying what type of artifacts can be problematic because it could just be a bunch of papers that were taken which wouldnt even be on display or maybe dont contain anything important . . the same is with china and europe too a lot of what is here called artifacts arent really that important and are overblown but anyways nice video its not your fault lol but sure of course if they can be returned they should do so and if its lost due to theft and war and said country then its on them

  • @MrRonald2796
    @MrRonald2796 Рік тому +1

    Brazil took away a lot of artifacts (the most known being the Christian Cannon) and many historical documents from Paraguay after the Triple Alliance War, even though both countries have had friendly relations for years now, they've refused to return any of the items.

  • @Kaspa969
    @Kaspa969 Рік тому +8

    I believe that ofc the colonizers should give back the stolen artifacts if there is a clear inheritor, but they should be allowed to have photos (or a few pieces in the case of artifacts there are many of, such as the Benin Bronzes) in their museums with stories about where and when they where found and given back, afterall their colonial empire are part of their heirtage.

    • @cassianoneto1553
      @cassianoneto1553 Рік тому +3

      Indeed that is what a lot of these places are doing, taking 3D models of the artifacts before returning them and sometimes having copies take their place to maintain their spots in the museum without the moral problems of keeping stolen artifacts.

    • @AntonioZL
      @AntonioZL Рік тому +3

      With the current state of technology they could easily just make 3d printed copies of the artifacts, after all the physical artifact only has intrinsic value to those who are natives to where it came from. To the rest of the world, the value is in the insights they reveal to us about humanity's past.

  • @vincent412l7
    @vincent412l7 Рік тому +2

    When items are returned, we should consider how safe or secure they will be. For example look at all the damage Isis has done. During war and unrest, damages will happen.

  • @barbarossarotbart
    @barbarossarotbart Рік тому +1

    This video is not well researched, because in some cases the objects were not stolen but legally exported according to the laws of that time.

  • @janiced9960
    @janiced9960 Рік тому +4

    With Benin having such a disgraceful role in the slave trade I believe they can go sing for any of the bronzes they want back. They were happy enough to part with human beings at a price and I find it enormously hypocritical for them to ask for the return of lumps of metal. As for a lot of the other ancient artifacts I think a case for their survival if they had been left "in situ" a pretty good rule of thumb as to whether they should be returned. I believe that many of them would no longer exist if they had been left where they were.

  • @SmartSalamander
    @SmartSalamander Рік тому +7

    Maybe the next video could be about colonial war crimes or ancient war crimes? Keep up the great video work!

    • @onelongwordable
      @onelongwordable Рік тому

      ​@@rola1449all crimes are an opinion, what a stupid excuse you just made.

  • @handrew311
    @handrew311 Рік тому +1

    If it’s buried in the ground and no one in your society knew they existed they belong to whoever discovered them.

    • @IhaveBigFeet
      @IhaveBigFeet Рік тому

      What? So me a Pole can walk into Czechia and start mining iron deposits in the ground because I found it in the ground and they didn’t know it existed? Everything under the ground is property of the nation.

    • @handrew311
      @handrew311 Рік тому

      @@IhaveBigFeet you are not Polish. you have to go back.

  • @paWikangbaHi
    @paWikangbaHi Рік тому +2

    The US returned the 3 "Balanguiga Bells" back to the Philippines in 2018.
    They were taken as war trophies by the US army after the Battle of Balangiga in September 1901. The Philippine government started the campaign for their return in 1935 until the bells were finally repatriated.

    • @beasley1232
      @beasley1232 Рік тому +2

      That was a good move by the USA, now if only countries in Europe would do the same

  • @sandervdbrink84
    @sandervdbrink84 Рік тому +17

    The Rosetta stone was found used as building material. Unpopular opinion: if Egypt valued it so much, they should have saved it by themselves first. Almost nobody outside the colonial counties cared about history, so we should be glad countries like the UK did at that time and saved it from a worse fate.

  • @geraldmeehan8942
    @geraldmeehan8942 Рік тому +1

    Poor people go to jail for stealing

  • @markaxworthy2508
    @markaxworthy2508 16 днів тому

    The significance of a lot of these things was only realised by the "thieves". i.e. the Rosetta Stone.

  • @ninob.
    @ninob. Рік тому +21

    It is very nice that Germany is giving back objects actually. They create a replica with the original artifact and send the original one back to the country of origin. That happened to many objects given back. Especially objects from the Humboldt Forum in Berlin

    • @Idk-ys7rt
      @Idk-ys7rt Рік тому +12

      They should do that in Britain/UK. Have replicas in the British History Museum and give the actual artifacts back.

    • @josueveguilla9069
      @josueveguilla9069 Рік тому +1

      Or just keep the original and send the replica back. It's a Win-Win

    • @josueveguilla9069
      @josueveguilla9069 Рік тому +1

      ​@@Idk-ys7rtOr just keep the actual artifacts and send replicas.

    • @ninob.
      @ninob. Рік тому +6

      @@rola1449 But those artifacts were stolen from the original owners and when the countries that the artifacts belong to want them back it would be a crime to give it not back. I mean colonialists in Africa even took a house to their country. And if they break it there is at least a replica and the country does not complain that it did not get it back. It is their fault if they destroy it. It is the symbolic meaning that is important and if that means the artifact breaks it is only the business of the country that got it back

    • @sandervdbrink84
      @sandervdbrink84 Рік тому +4

      Who would go to a museum with only replica's?

  • @russeledwardteves8836
    @russeledwardteves8836 Рік тому +3

    You might forget to include the Balangiga bell that was looted by the Americans from the Philippines during Philippine-American war and it was just recently brought back to us just because our previous president demanded it back.

  • @Brimp555
    @Brimp555 Рік тому

    When the artifacts were taken, the countries of origin were poor, corrupt, and didn't value the artifacts. Some of them are still corrupt and I wouldn't be surprised that returned items may be "given" to, or sold to private collectors.

  • @markgarin6355
    @markgarin6355 Рік тому +1

    The rosetta stone was a piece of trash....being found in rubble. Not really something valued where it was located.

  • @aanchaallllllll
    @aanchaallllllll Рік тому

    0:00: 🗿 The video discusses the debate surrounding stolen artifacts held by European countries.
    3:08: 🏛 Nigeria and Greece demand the return of looted artifacts from the UK, which refuses to give them back.
    6:04: 🌍 European countries hold stolen cultural artifacts, such as Maori heads and religious texts, that should be returned to their countries of origin.
    9:07: 🏛 The video discusses the controversial acquisition and retention of cultural artifacts by museums and countries.
    12:04: 🌍 European countries hold historic African artifacts, but efforts are being made to return them to African governments and ensure accessibility to the African people.
    Recap by Tammy AI

  • @Sarefsx
    @Sarefsx Рік тому +6

    Better decision would be to pay money to “loan” artifacts back to original countries.

  • @Turdfergusen382
    @Turdfergusen382 Рік тому +2

    I saw in my feed today an ad for a free US & Israel flags pin and I threw up in my mouth a little. 🤢

  • @Jonas_31
    @Jonas_31 Рік тому +7

    Another Example: The Montezuma Headdress made of feathers which is owned by Austria, but Mexico wants it back. I think Austria went to Mexico once and somehow got the headdress, idk maybe they killed him, but now they have it

  • @lucas13flu
    @lucas13flu Рік тому +4

    If it really was stolen of course they should be returned. Otherwise, no.

  • @GlitchedGamer08
    @GlitchedGamer08 Рік тому +1

    Depends. If stolen or they had their arm twisted, yes. If given willingly/traded, then its up to us. We got it fairly, so we do what we like.

  • @MrSaLVideos
    @MrSaLVideos Рік тому +1

    They have still not return Nigeria's Nok and Benin artifacts.

  • @derevianne1108
    @derevianne1108 Рік тому +2

    if you want to do a second video on that topic you can find more information about artifacts stolen by Russia that were found on territory of now independent countries

  • @familygash7500
    @familygash7500 Рік тому +9

    As a British person, I can say that we will return the artifacts to Egypt once they return The Suez Canal.

    • @Joshieboy75
      @Joshieboy75 Рік тому +1

      The suez is rightful British clay

    • @TheBobVova
      @TheBobVova Рік тому

      thief

    • @basillah7650
      @basillah7650 Рік тому

      Should return the UK to the Romans it belongs to them after all.

    • @thematthew761
      @thematthew761 Рік тому

      What if the Egyptians took some of your artifacts?

    • @Joshieboy75
      @Joshieboy75 Рік тому

      @@thematthew761 I don’t have any so I don’t care

  • @tomasvrabec1845
    @tomasvrabec1845 Рік тому +6

    By all accounts... the Rosetta stone was not stolen. It would not even exist if it was not taken into the research

  • @Druchii
    @Druchii Рік тому +18

    I’m British (also do late Roman reenactment) and can say that all items stolen during colonisation should be returned. We have no rights to peoples past. Also we’ve got hundreds and hundreds years of history to fill with museums we don’t need other peoples. I love museums and love history but also respect other cultures. Just make replicas and return the originals. Also saw someone say we should loan or make countries pay… definitely not. It’s their items. We should be paying them to keep them.

    • @bumble.bee22
      @bumble.bee22 Рік тому +5

      No

    • @riazortho
      @riazortho Рік тому +3

      Well you are no longer British

    • @riazortho
      @riazortho Рік тому +3

      Why on Earth should we return them?

    • @Jururuca
      @Jururuca Рік тому +11

      Would you return artifacts from Mesopotamia and Babylon to Iraq and Syria? For what? for the Islamic State to destroy them?Definitely not.
      I was only able to see these objects thanks to the British Museum when I visited London. I hope they remain well stored there.

    • @joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536
      @joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536 Рік тому +1

      @@Jururuca Yes. You can.

  • @azurblau4144
    @azurblau4144 Рік тому

    in Britain's case one could argue that every stolen artifact holds a historical significand's to them because stealing them was part of their culture /s

  • @eniej
    @eniej Рік тому +5

    Us over here in Wales are also fighting for our artefacts to be given back to us, just because we are a country in Britain, it doesn't mean we don't want our history to be returned back to where it belongs

    • @welshed
      @welshed Рік тому

      Out of curiosity, what artefacts have been taken from us and where are they now?

    • @eniej
      @eniej Рік тому

      @@welshed Have you heard of the Mold gold cape? If you want to learn about some of the stuff, see the Wikipedia page en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_artefacts_in_museums_outside_Wales

  • @pancakemacbuttery9142
    @pancakemacbuttery9142 Рік тому +8

    Britain😂

  • @currykingwurst6393
    @currykingwurst6393 Рік тому +5

    People can make incredible replicas of pretty much anything these days. So... make a replica of something, put that on display at your museum and give the original back to the original country.

  • @nurventilatoren
    @nurventilatoren Рік тому +2

    To quote a famous german song:
    "Das ist alles nur geklaut"
    (All of this stolen)

  • @jamespyle777
    @jamespyle777 Рік тому

    They weren't stolen, they were held as collateral.

  • @EIixir
    @EIixir Рік тому +1

    Can you do another video like this on Asia? We don't hear about that very often. What has been taken from Tibet by China for example or perhaps Russia as it invaded eastern Europe.

  • @TricaGamer
    @TricaGamer Рік тому +1

    Colonizers and never giving artifacts back be like: europe moment

  • @kelthazur
    @kelthazur Рік тому +1

    It is pretty complicated, what about Tibet? Crimea? Etc. Etc. What is an original country? What is an original owner? There is a huge grey area of what has been looted, conquered etc. The only difference between the Russian, American and Chinese etc. Borders and colonial histories is that colonies aren't connected by land. But isn't it just looting also?

  • @OiiRobbi3x
    @OiiRobbi3x Рік тому +4

    is it stealing if you cant defend your own country? are you even a country if you cannot defend yourself

    • @johnnyearp52
      @johnnyearp52 Рік тому +1

      Might doesn't equal right.

    • @OiiRobbi3x
      @OiiRobbi3x Рік тому +3

      @@johnnyearp52 I think youll find might outways right because if you have might you decide whats right 😂 real life and philosophy dont always coincide.

    • @johnnyearp52
      @johnnyearp52 Рік тому +2

      @@OiiRobbi3x No. Just because you can do something doesn't make it right.
      Do you think that pedophilia is right?
      Sure, most adults can overpower a child. That does not mean it is ok to attack a child.

    • @Joshieboy75
      @Joshieboy75 Рік тому

      @@johnnyearp52why did you bring up pedophile that weird

    • @johnnyearp52
      @johnnyearp52 Рік тому +1

      @@Joshieboy75 Because I was molested and that is an example of might definitely not being right.

  • @colintwyning9614
    @colintwyning9614 Рік тому

    We should give all this stuff back

    • @gavblack
      @gavblack Рік тому

      give them your stuff

  • @danielmalinen6337
    @danielmalinen6337 Рік тому

    The claim that Britain stole the Rosetta Stone from Egypt is too simplistic because the stela was originally stolen by Napoleon's soldiers who sent it to Paris and Britain stole the stolen stone from France and put it in the British Museum in London after Napoleon lost the war and was exiled. So if we say that Britain stole the stela, we ignore the fact that France was equally complicit and guilty of the theft.

  • @guilhermeguimaraeslopes2808
    @guilhermeguimaraeslopes2808 Рік тому +10

    Hi from Brazil: Germany stole from us an important dinosaur fossil called Ubirajara jubatus, for 30 years this fossil was illegaly in a German museum and only in this year we will get this important artefact back to his home.

    • @cassianoneto1553
      @cassianoneto1553 Рік тому +3

      We even made a cute drawing of it waving a Brazilian flag when the news dropped.

    • @guilhermeguimaraeslopes2808
      @guilhermeguimaraeslopes2808 Рік тому +2

      ​@@cassianoneto1553 Yes, we make a big campaign but unfortunately there is a lot o fossils on Europe that was stolen from Brazil, we also have the example of a cranium of a Irritator challengeri (that is a "kind of spinossaur") that is in Germany.

    • @leagueaddict8357
      @leagueaddict8357 Рік тому

      Illegally? Germany owned it they won you guys lost it is their fossil.

  • @fabiankohring1440
    @fabiankohring1440 Рік тому +1

    Thank you for all great videos. Would have been nice to mention how The Nefertiti bust got to Germany legally through the split deal. This stealing isn’t quite the word. Also I’m afraid the Egyptian cultural miniatures are more interested in getting things back than in having them well preserved. The current shape of the old Egyptian museum and the artefacts displayed outside are not convincing. Vandalism and neglection on those artefacts made me at least very sad and sceptical for a safe return.

    • @jessicajae7777
      @jessicajae7777 Рік тому

      I agree, Egypt is in no way capable or willing to value anything. It would get stolen or disappear immediately if not monetized by few. Same with africa. That money needed to be spent on human animal and land preservation not on a building for personal status which it was. It too is greed motivated. Same with India.

  • @welshed
    @welshed Рік тому +1

    Finders keepers, losers weepers.
    Nah on a serious note: the UK should return most of them. I do think there’s a legitimate argument in saying that some of the countries wouldn’t be able to keep them safe though. Imagine we gave these things back and then boom, they’re destroyed in a civil war or something.

  • @D4rthfurious
    @D4rthfurious Рік тому

    There is the case of my country (Italy), that several Egyptian obelisk where moved in Rome by the Romans and became symbols of the city
    (I know the are other artifacts in Italy obviously but I'm referring to Obelisks in this case)

  • @benetgamingchanel4055
    @benetgamingchanel4055 Рік тому +6

    Most of these stolen atifact is from the Bitish Museum now

  • @TreyMessiah95
    @TreyMessiah95 Рік тому

    Half of this video could be about England alone

  • @josueveguilla9069
    @josueveguilla9069 Рік тому +4

    Imagine if the roles were reversed.

  • @G.A.C_Preserve
    @G.A.C_Preserve Рік тому

    It belongs in the British museum