英专家:大英博物馆应开放“扫货”,让各国领回国宝
作为世界上规模最大、最著名的四大博物馆之一,大英博物馆藏品数目有800多万件之多。高达99%的藏品甚至因为空间限制,不能同参观者见面。
不过,众所周知,大英博物馆很大一部分藏品都是曾经的“日不落帝国”从各地掠夺搜刮而来的。
这些文物也就此存放在异国,难以回到自己的故土。
A BBC historian has suggested the British Museum should have a Supermarket Sweep where countries which were plundered by the British Empire have two minutes to take back their artifacts.
一位英国广播公司历史学家建议大英博物馆应当举行一场“超市大扫荡”,让那些曾被大英帝国抢劫过的国家用2分钟把自己国家的文物带回家。
注:超市大扫荡(Supermarket Sweep)是美国一档综艺节目,参赛队伍在规定时间内从超市里选取任意数量任意种类的商品,总价值高者获胜。
奥鲁索加是尼日利亚裔,年少时来到英国,他长期致力于推进英国归还尼日利亚贝宁青铜器(Benin Bronzes)的进程。
这些青铜器本为贝宁王国的皇宫装饰,因英国1897年对该国的侵略而被劫掠一空。贝宁王国后被并入英属尼日利亚。
如今,约200件贝宁青铜器保存在大英博物馆中,其余分散在欧洲各地。
贝宁青铜器(Benin Bronzes)之一
奥鲁索加对英国当年的行径感到非常愤恨:
"I think it’s a very, very clear case of appropriation and theft. The palace was destroyed, they were taken and then sold to pay for the cost of the military adventure."
?"我认为这是赤裸裸的侵吞和盗窃。宫殿被摧毁,铜器被夺走,之后被卖掉,用来支付军事行动的费用。”
appropriation [?,pr??pr?'e??(?)n]:擅用;私占
“Everyone was open about this – steal this stuff, send it to pay for the cost of the bullets. It’s just such a stark case of theft.”
“大家却对这种做法相当宽容——偷盗文物,拿来换钱,再用它支付侵略战争的开销。这就是明目张胆的盗窃行径。”
“The idea that your national treasure would be in the museum of another country is something that as British people we would find absolutely impossible to get our heads around, but that’s what Nigerians have to think about.”
“作为英国人,我们根本想象不到英国的国宝会出现在另一个国家的博物馆里。然而这却是尼日利亚需要考虑的问题。”
他同样还呼吁英国把著名的埃尔金石雕(The Elgin Marbles)还给希腊。
陈列于大英博物馆的埃尔金石雕(The Elgin Marbles)
大卫·奥鲁索加也从英国的角度考虑,称归还各国的文物有利于维护英国和这些国家的关系:
David Olusoga said there was a “moral imperative” for relics to be returned and that it could help Britain's relationship with the Commonwealth after Brexit.
大卫·奥鲁索加认为,归还历史文物不但是一项“道义责任”,同时这也会帮助英国在脱欧后改善同英联邦国家的关系。
“If our relationship with the Commonwealth after Brexit is going to be more important, remembering they remember what happened, and they remember the things that were taken – and there are real senses of loss in those countries – it’s beneficial to us as a nation to listen to those appeals.”
“如果英国在脱欧之后同英联邦国家之间的关系会变得更为重要,那么我们要记住,这些国家没有忘记历史,也没有忘记他们被掠夺的文物,这些国家能感到真正的失去的痛。去倾听这些诉求对英国来说是有益的。”
不只是奥鲁索加说到的这些英联邦国家,中国也是文物流失最为严重的国家之一。
据统计,流失在海外的中国文物至少在1700万件以上。多年来我国政府一直在努力追回,呼吁外国归还我国文物,然而很多国家不但拒不归还,而且还对文物进行拍卖。
不过,众所周知,大英博物馆很大一部分藏品都是曾经的“日不落帝国”从各地掠夺搜刮而来的。
这些文物也就此存放在异国,难以回到自己的故土。
近日,英国一位历史学家、BBC《文明》栏目主持人大卫·奥鲁索加(David Olusoga)就提议,应当在大英博物馆举行一次两分钟的“超市大扫荡”,让各国领回自家国宝。
A BBC historian has suggested the British Museum should have a Supermarket Sweep where countries which were plundered by the British Empire have two minutes to take back their artifacts.
一位英国广播公司历史学家建议大英博物馆应当举行一场“超市大扫荡”,让那些曾被大英帝国抢劫过的国家用2分钟把自己国家的文物带回家。
注:超市大扫荡(Supermarket Sweep)是美国一档综艺节目,参赛队伍在规定时间内从超市里选取任意数量任意种类的商品,总价值高者获胜。
奥鲁索加是尼日利亚裔,年少时来到英国,他长期致力于推进英国归还尼日利亚贝宁青铜器(Benin Bronzes)的进程。
这些青铜器本为贝宁王国的皇宫装饰,因英国1897年对该国的侵略而被劫掠一空。贝宁王国后被并入英属尼日利亚。
如今,约200件贝宁青铜器保存在大英博物馆中,其余分散在欧洲各地。
贝宁青铜器(Benin Bronzes)之一
奥鲁索加对英国当年的行径感到非常愤恨:
"I think it’s a very, very clear case of appropriation and theft. The palace was destroyed, they were taken and then sold to pay for the cost of the military adventure."
?"我认为这是赤裸裸的侵吞和盗窃。宫殿被摧毁,铜器被夺走,之后被卖掉,用来支付军事行动的费用。”
appropriation [?,pr??pr?'e??(?)n]:擅用;私占
“Everyone was open about this – steal this stuff, send it to pay for the cost of the bullets. It’s just such a stark case of theft.”
“大家却对这种做法相当宽容——偷盗文物,拿来换钱,再用它支付侵略战争的开销。这就是明目张胆的盗窃行径。”
“The idea that your national treasure would be in the museum of another country is something that as British people we would find absolutely impossible to get our heads around, but that’s what Nigerians have to think about.”
“作为英国人,我们根本想象不到英国的国宝会出现在另一个国家的博物馆里。然而这却是尼日利亚需要考虑的问题。”
他同样还呼吁英国把著名的埃尔金石雕(The Elgin Marbles)还给希腊。
陈列于大英博物馆的埃尔金石雕(The Elgin Marbles)
大卫·奥鲁索加也从英国的角度考虑,称归还各国的文物有利于维护英国和这些国家的关系:
David Olusoga said there was a “moral imperative” for relics to be returned and that it could help Britain's relationship with the Commonwealth after Brexit.
大卫·奥鲁索加认为,归还历史文物不但是一项“道义责任”,同时这也会帮助英国在脱欧后改善同英联邦国家的关系。
“If our relationship with the Commonwealth after Brexit is going to be more important, remembering they remember what happened, and they remember the things that were taken – and there are real senses of loss in those countries – it’s beneficial to us as a nation to listen to those appeals.”
“如果英国在脱欧之后同英联邦国家之间的关系会变得更为重要,那么我们要记住,这些国家没有忘记历史,也没有忘记他们被掠夺的文物,这些国家能感到真正的失去的痛。去倾听这些诉求对英国来说是有益的。”
不只是奥鲁索加说到的这些英联邦国家,中国也是文物流失最为严重的国家之一。
据统计,流失在海外的中国文物至少在1700万件以上。多年来我国政府一直在努力追回,呼吁外国归还我国文物,然而很多国家不但拒不归还,而且还对文物进行拍卖。
来源:节选自《中国日报双语新闻微信》
(编辑:织言)