Here's me doing my favorite thing last week: talking about the looting (and return!) of the Bubon bronzes, a story I have been researching, writing, and speaking about since 2012. www.npr.org/2024/12/08/n... 1/5 - ThreadSky

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lizmarlowe.bsky.social • 89 days ago

Here's me doing my favorite thing last week: talking about the looting (and return!) of the Bubon bronzes, a story I have been researching, writing, and speaking about since 2012. https://www.npr.org/2024/12/08/nx-s1-5214540-e1/a-danish-museum-agrees-to-return-a-bronze-sculpture-looted-from-turkey 1/5

Comments

carlosfnorena.bsky.social•89 days ago

"Spoiler: they (sc. the museum labels) don't talk about the looting."

😂 (but also: 😬)

lizmarlowe.bsky.social•89 days ago

I wrote a piece about this particular head and the evidence connecting it with Bubon shortly after Turkey's formal request for it, in 2023: http://illicitculturalproperty.com/marlow-on-the-real-issue-with-the-glyptotek-head/ 2/5

lizmarlowe.bsky.social•89 days ago

The Bubon case I'm watching most closely now is the one involving the Marcus Aurelius statue at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The CMA's actions set a new low, in my view, for unethical behavior regarding looted antiquities in the collection: https://hyperallergic.com/862516/cleveland-museum-bad-bet-looted-roman-statue/ 3/5

lizmarlowe.bsky.social•89 days ago

As soon as the Manhattan DA requested the piece's return, Cleveland CHANGED ITS LABEL & WEBPAGE, deleting all refs to Bubon & denying the long-standing identification as Marcus Aurelius. That info had to go, because there is an empty pedestal at Bubon with Marcus' name on it. Cf old & new labels:

lizmarlowe.bsky.social•89 days ago

Cleveland's behavior is an unusually visible example of the Faustian bargain many museums make in order to acquire & hold onto looted antiquities. Better to erase historical knowledge than have to give up a treasured possession. https://hyperallergic.com/760120/when-will-museums-tell-the-whole-truth-about-their-antiquities/ 5/5

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