As we made our way from the Archaeological Museum in Paphos a few days ago a man called out as we filed onto our large white tour bus, “where are you from?” he asked. We informed him we were all from America and he proceeded to share with us something he clearly felt passionate about. “You know what they don’t tell you in those museums?” hmm I wondered; this seems like it will be fun. “What they don’t tell you is that Americans, the British, Italians, they have all taken what belongs here.” I felt deeply for his cause immediately. He is right, Americans, Brits, Italians, the French, Greeks, Dutch, and many other nations have long been staking claim to artifacts which did not originate in the nations they are now being held in. What are the consequences of this? What does it do to a nation to have artifacts removed and placed in another state’s museums? I have been pondering these questions and others over the last few days. Firstly, I think it is important to recognize the value of an artifact. Seeing these ancient reminders of past individuals, communities and cultures in person brings them to life with striking color. It simply has a different impact on the viewer than it does to read or see a photo of pottery, sculptures, or coins cleaned up and brightly lit on display. I have thought about being a young Cypriot and only seeing a handful of the artifacts that had been unearthed on this rich island still available in the city museums, and then being told that originals or more extravagant objects are on display in a museum across the sea or on another continent entirely. I think I would feel sad, and I would feel hurt. Sure, it is neat that others see them in fancy Metro Museums in London or New York, but would more people come to Cyprus (would more Americans be aware of its existence) if they were informed of their uniqueness but forced to make the trip to actually see their beauty in real life? Ultimately, I do not know. However, I do think it is wrong that nations have taken what belongs to the island and after so many years still hold onto them as if they were theirs to keep. I think Cyprus could be a richer nation if what was found here remained here. This has led me to wonder about how archaeologists in the field feel about this subject. Do they advocate for the return of artifacts to their original points of discovery? Do some feel it is actually more valuable to disseminate artifacts than to keep them in the countries where they were found? While everyone is sure to feel differently about this, and they are questions with far from clearly defined right or wrong answers, I do think it is extremely important that we as students of archaeology be thinking about them as we participate in unearthing objects that have remained in Cypriot soil for thousands of years.    

-Grace Simonsen