A documentary that explores the dim world of illicit trade in antiquities, as well as the long and hard struggle for the | dHNfUnpTT2lHeExwOVk
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:04 To create now in the 21st century,
00:06 or even in the late 20th century,
00:09 a universal museum like we have it in Berlin, London, Paris,
00:13 Petersburg, or New York, is not anymore possible.
00:17 The main motivation of museums not opening their collections
00:21 is because they want to cling to their role as gatekeepers,
00:25 and they want to have the last word on the objects.
00:27 And that is what is really problematic
00:29 when we talk especially about material objects
00:32 from other cultures, where cultures completely
00:35 feel misrepresented.
00:38 The Greek authorities pursue the issue
00:43 of the return of the Parthenon marbles
00:46 because the Parthenon is a unique symbolic monument.
00:53 The upper part of the next block is in London.
00:56 The lower part in Athens.
01:00 I mean, this is at least surrealistic.
01:05 So the British Museum exists to tell
01:07 the story of human history from two million years ago
01:10 to the present day.
01:12 There is always something about museums which is deadening.
01:16 Objects taken from their life source,
01:19 it's like dead babies or something.
01:22 What Luton does to cultural heritage
01:24 is that it takes an object from its historical context.
01:29 We archaeologists study what lies above the object,
01:32 what lies at the object, and what lies beneath it.
01:34 And then we can create meaning.
01:36 Now we know that the illegal illicit traffic of antiquities
01:41 is one of the hugest illegal businesses.
01:46 I mean, UNESCO is estimating that it's
01:49 several billions a year.
01:53 People need to see looting as the Black Diamonds.
01:56 25 children died in one year, post-2011,
02:00 because they were used by the gangs to find objects.
02:03 So people need to see how unethical it is
02:06 to actually buy these objects.
02:09 And the less there is a market, the less looting will happen.
02:13 (gentle music)
02:16 (upbeat music)