The Return of Cultural Treasures

A fully revised and expanded edition of the exploration of the historical, legal and political issues in cultural restitution, first published in 2007.

Jeanette Greenfield (Author)

9780521802161, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 December 2007

522 pages
25.4 x 18.1 x 3 cm, 1.2 kg

'Dr Greenfield has certainly produced a masterpiece which we can recommend to both beginners and specialists. I know of no other book on the issue of restitution which comes close to this book in its breadth of knowledge and careful detailed analysis.' ModernGhana.com

In recent years controversial cases such as the so-called Elgin Marbles have prompted public debate on the return of cultural treasures to their homelands. In this fully revised and expanded third edition of her seminal work, first published in 2007, Jeanette Greenfield analyzes and discusses the historical, legal and political issues surrounding a wide cross-section of similar cases. Bringing the story up to date, this edition includes new chapters on wartime plunders, deliberately destroyed art and the return of ethnic art such as Australian aboriginal and Native American art. It also explores the palaeontological and marine archaeology issues at play and examines new approaches taken by museums when dealing with cultural objects and their return. Written in a highly accessible style with an interdisciplinary approach, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in cultural heritage, archaeology and anthropology, museums, art history and international law.

List of illustrations
Preface to the first edition
Preface to the second edition
Preface to the third edition
Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
Introduction Magnus Magnusson
1. The Icelandic manuscripts
2. The Elgin Marbles debate
3. British and other European practice
4. Some British cases
5. American and Canadian practice
6. Russia and the former Soviet Union
7. The Hebrew manuscripts
8. International and regional regulation
9. Art theft and the art market
10. Plunder
11. The first people
12. Ground zero
13. Homecomings: real and virtual
Notes
List of appendices in microfiche in first edition (1989)
Select bibliography
Select list of web sites
Index.

Subject Areas: Law of the sea [LBBK], Public international law [LBB], Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography [JHMC], Archaeology [HD], General & world history [HBG]