Why Should Cultural Treasures Be Left In Foreign Culture

There have been many controversies about cultural treasures and belongings that are kept outside of their home countries. People argue whether national treasures should be returned to their countries of origin, or left in foreign cultural institutions.
Some of the most known museums are subject to many critics. Foreign governments, archeologists, people, and nationalists agree on one point, namely that every historical, artistic, or cultural object should be returned and remain in its country of origin. This story is not recent. For centuries, there have been disputes over ownership of cultural treasures between countries worldwide. Home countries would like to have the artifacts back. In their opinion, these cultural relics are what defines

Still, it is one of the most criticized institutions. The famous Rosetta Stone, discovered by a French officer in 1799, was acquired by British after they have defeated France in 1801, and since 1802, this 2,200-year-old stone has been kept in the British Museum in London. In the beginning of the 19th century, the “Elgin Marbles” statues were brought to England from Athens by Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, who had the permission of the Ottoman authorities to transport about half of the remaining sculptures, which were built almost 2,500 years ago. They have been in the Museum since 1817. The bust of Queen Nefertiti, the 3,400-year-old Egyptian artifact, “is and remains the ambassador of Egypt in Berlin”, according to Professor Hermann Parzinger, the President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. This bust was discovered by German archeologist, Ludwig Borchardt in the 1912, and was transported to Germany one year later. Egyptians are determined to return their cultural heritage that is to be found all over the world back to their country. Koh-i-Noor Diamond from India is also in England. Sion Treasure was acquired by Harvard University’s Dumbarton Oaks Museum, and this treasure is comprised of 40 Byzantine relics. A private collector donated it to the