Thursday, February 23, 2012

Peru to Supreme Court: Spain Stole It First!

Peru has asked the Supreme Court to put a hold on the return of sunken treasure found by Odyssey Marine to Spain. See
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/local/region_1/peru:-spain-stole-it-first-odyssey-02222012_18164227

US Courts have ordered Odyssey Marine to return the treasure because it was found in a sunken Spanish warship.

Peru wants the Courts to turn the treasure over to it, because it was stolen from the country by Spanish colonialists.

Shouldn't the ardent repatriationists of the archaeological community support Peru over dastardly Spain? Surely if they pushed for Yale to return study artifacts from Machu Picchu, they should root for Peru in its efforts to take back what they are due from whatever source. Or, is their ire selectively employed against American companies and institutions?

Perhaps "finders, keepers" is the best rule after all.

2 comments:

Dorothy King said...

ha ha

Voz Earl said...

Does the phrase, "hoisted on one's own petard" apply here? What about all those antiquities the Romans looted from Greece and Egypt? Surely Italy will be shipping those back any day, right? lol

Voz