Art History: Survey I
Quiz 3-2
(300 words, 20 points)
In 1907, the British archeologist, Howard Carter was hired by Lord Carnarvon to supervise his Egyptian excavations. Carter had been excavating the Valley of the Kings for 15 years, producing very little results, yet believing that he could uncover the intact tomb of Tutankhamen. Finally, in 1922, Carter discovered the tomb, proving that it was not a figment of his imagination. According to Egyptian laws, the contents of Tutanknamen’s tomb were to be recorded and kept in Egypt. However, after Carter’s death, some minor objects, such as bracelet in the form of the Sphinx or a bronze dog (see the PPT), that were attributed to King Tut’s tomb were found in his estate. In your opinion, were Carter’s actions ethical, permissible, understandable? Explain your position.
In 1930s-40s, these objects ended up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which purchased them in good faith (not knowing that they were taken from Egypt illegally). In late 1990s, these objects were identified with certainty as originating from King Tut’s tomb. Since they were taken out of Egypt without permission, Egypt demanded that the objects were to be returned. In your opinion, should the museum return the objects? Explain your position.
The post Art History: Survey I Quiz 3-2 appeared first on EssayBishop.