this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2024
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Why is it not grave robbery to take artefacts from ancient graves and put them in a museum? (feddit.org)
submitted 3 weeks ago by tux0r@feddit.org to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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As I was reading about the Valley of the Kings again, I wonder why that was actually legal.

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[โ€“] kitnaht@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Because grave robbing is financially motivated for the sake of the individual robbing the grave. They are out to enrich themselves, not others.

Museums obviously do have some financial incentive, but they aren't just turning around and selling these relics to the highest bidder. They trade with other museums, they share artifacts, for the enrichment of humankind, rather than their own personal enrichment.

[โ€“] Saleh@feddit.org 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

When looking at places like the British National Museum and when we look at many other Museums created at the height of Imperialism they were definetely signs of power over any scientific purpose.

It is the ultimate power move to get away with robbing artifacts from all over the world and putting them on display in your capital. And then having the audacity to claim to "take care of them" for your "underdeveloped" people wouldnt know how to handle your own culture.