VOA标准英语2010-Countries Want National Treasures Returne

Egypt, Nigeria and Peru are among a group of countries that have put together a "wish list" of disputed cultural artifacts they want brought back to their homelands. At a two-day conference in Cairo, participants argued museums are often the main obstacle to repatriation¹.

Elizabeth Arrott | Cairo 08 April 2010

 
Photo: Courtesy: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
View of head of the sarcophagus intercepted² by U.S. Customs officials in Miami, Florida in 2008

Egyptian authorities recently scored a victory in the return of an ancient artifact.  The sarcophagus of Imhesy, a man from pharaonic times, was intercepted in Miami, Florida by an alert U.S. customs agent.   Its provenance³ and final destination were unclear.

But Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme⁴ Council of Antiquities⁵, says “museums are the main source for buying stolen artifacts.  If museums stopped ... the theft will be less.”  Hawass says 95 percent of museums agreed to stop, but five percent remain holdouts.

“They began to buy stolen artifacts without telling anyone,” he said, “and they do hide the artifacts in the basement of the museum."

At a conference hosted by Hawass in Cairo this week, delegations⁶ from around the world vowed⁷ to speak with one voice to try to get national treasures back.

But as Peru has found out, it is not just theft that can cause a rift⁸ between nations and museums.

Credit: Martin St-Amant/Creative Commons
15th Century Inca Citadel⁹ at Machu Picchu, Peru

Peru's Undersecretary for Cultural Foreign Policy, Liliana Cino, said topping her wish list is the return of the treasures of Machu Picchu, the Incan city re-discovered a century ago.  Artifacts found at the site were taken to the U.S. for study at Yale University's Peabody Museum.   Ambassador Cino said the items were given as a loan, and that “we really hope Yale will keep its word and give our things back.”

Yale has argued it returned the borrowed items, and it rightfully owns the ones it still has.

Some museums holding disputed artifacts argue the items are too fragile to transfer.  Others say that some pieces are so iconic, for example the Rosetta Stone, they belong to the world.

The head of Nigeria's Museum and Monuments Commission, Yussef Abdullah Usman, finds that a false argument.

"We are not saying these things should not be enjoyed by everyone,” he said, “but I think they will be better understood if they are exhibited within the cultural milieu¹⁰ in which they were actually created."

Credit: Copyright the Trustees of the British Museum
Brass¹¹ plaque¹² showing the Oba of Benin with attendants (16th Century Benin Bronzes from Edo peoples of Benin, Nigeria)

Nigeria is seeking the return of several objects, including the Benin Bronzes, taken out by British forces more than 100 years ago and now scattered¹³ among collections in Europe and America.

Egypt, more specifically Hawass, is the driving force behind repatriation efforts, with the country being one of the main victims of cultural theft.  The antiquities chief says he hopes the conference is the first of many.

There is no shortage of antiquities still in Egypt, from the pyramids of Giza, to the extensive collection on display at the Egyptian museum in Cairo.  But the return of any artifact taken without consent is a matter of national pride.

Hawass, an outsized character who encourages comparison to movie archaeologist Indiana Jones, says it’s the most rewarding part of the job.

"People can think that the best moment in the life of an archaeologist is actually to discover something,” he said at the handover of the Imhesy sarcophagus, “but for me, the best thing is to return something to Egypt."

The Egyptologist has gone to unusual lengths to make that happen - from threatening to cut off access to archeological sites, to telling those he deems an unrightful owner that the object holds an ancient curse.
 

1 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网

2 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

3 provenance   

n.出处；起源

参考例句：

• Kato was fully aware of the provenance of these treasures.加藤完全清楚这些珍宝的来源。
• This plant's provenance is Asiadj.这种植物原产于亚洲。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

6 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

7 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

8 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

9 citadel   

n.城堡；堡垒；避难所

参考例句：

• The citadel was solid.城堡是坚固的。
• This citadel is built on high ground for protecting the city.这座城堡建于高处是为保护城市。

10 milieu   

n.环境；出身背景；(个人所处的)社会环境

参考例句：

• Foods usually provide a good milieu for the persistence of viruses.食品通常为病毒存续提供了一个良好的栖身所。
• He was born in a social milieu where further education was a luxury.他生在一个受较高教育就被认为是奢侈的社会环境里。

11 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

12 plaque   

n.饰板，匾，(医)血小板

参考例句：

• There is a commemorative plaque to the artist in the village hall.村公所里有一块纪念该艺术家的牌匾。
• Some Latin words were engraved on the plaque. 牌匾上刻着些拉丁文。

13 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。