tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post8935430452196699842..comments2024-03-27T04:46:33.198-07:00Comments on Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues: The Leon Levy Foundation and "Partage" of Research ArchivesPaul Barfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-25497407643630977652010-05-23T01:27:38.570-07:002010-05-23T01:27:38.570-07:00You have said it all: "Methinks this whole af...You have said it all: "Methinks this whole affair is a propaganda exercise on behalf of the notion of "partage" much praised by Cuno (more interested in the trophy objects from excavations than the practicalities of writing them up). The non-publication of much of the material partaged away across the seas is a strong argument for the host countries not renewing this unreliable type of research "partnership".<br /> Cuno's own comments in Who owns Antiquity? are enough to discourage any proposal to re-introduce partage. Pages, 14, 55 and 155 contain enough statements to make any person cautious about partage and when Cuno adds that under the British Mandate archaeology in Iraq was dominated by British teams, pointing out the dominant role of Gertrude Bell who according to Cuno”had worked for British Intelligence in the Arab Bureau in Cairo”, we start wondering whether this is a recommendation.<br /><br />Do the supporters of the “universal museums”, under the leadership of Cuno expect those of us outside the narrow circle of friends and supporters in the Western world to share their views about the great benefits of the partage system? A system which allowed the Western world great freedom of choice in antiquities and deprived countries such as Egypt of their cultural treasures such as the bust of Nefertiti, now in the Neues Museum in Berlin? The partage system allowed the rich countries which financed many of the exploration and excavation of archaeological sites to regard the countries of these sites, so called “source countries” as some sort of archaeological supermarket. <br /><br />If the old system had benefits for the so-called source countries why have they rebelled against it? <br /><br />Surely, the news that a lot of the information on the excavations have not been published or made available is ground for hesitation in accepting the views of Cuno and co on partage.<br /><br /><br />Kwame OpokuDR.KWAME OPOKUhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10807521316037049823noreply@blogger.com