Owais Mughal
At ATP we have regularly discussed preservation of our art, architecture and heritage. For example here, here, and here. This post falls in the same category. Today’s news is that Italy is going to return 96 ancient looted items to Pakistan. This announcement was made by Italian Cultural Minister Francesco Rutelli.
The items which will be returned include decorated bowls, vases, miniatures of Zebus; a type of humpbacked cattle native to India and Pakistan; coins, plates, a duck-shaped and a bull-shaped musical instrument. The items belong to a period from 3,300 to 1,800 B.C.
… In photo to the left Italian Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli is seen admiring some of the 96 ancient items, which will be returned to Pakistan….
The items were spotted by authorities during a trade fair near Milan in 2005. It was not clear how long they had been in Italy, but they were smuggled as modern Thai art from southwestern Pakistan, officials said. A group of Italian experts will go to Pakistan to help restore them at their native place.
Reference: Details here. Clicking on the photo above will take you to its original web-site
Now only if British would follow the Italian example!!!
Where will they be kept? and under what condition? Were they safer with the Italians?
there is an ongoing row between Germany and Egypt, two big archeological buffs around, and here is totally strange, Itlalians returning our artifacts which they didnt take in the first place!
Azuri rocks
wooohooo were getting the duck shaped sitar back!!
Bilal Zuberi>Were they safer with the Italians?
Thought provoking.
We are getting them back because the Italians did’nt like them.
now all that is needed is for us to appreciate our history
Any idea if these pieces will be on display anywhere?
I feel attribution is more important than the actual possession of historical artifacts. If Italy simply attributes that the artifacts were in fact from the region that is Pakistan, that itself is more important than actually possessing it. This way it at least educates people of history they might not otherwise know.
I put forward a similar argument for India’s campaign to bring the Kohinoor back. If the UK admits that it is from India, why bother bringing it back? At least it is open to a wide audience there.