Rescuing the Past: The Cultural Heritage Crusade

Jonathan Tokeley was contentiously convicted of 'smuggling' Egyptian antiquities in a landmark trial - one of a series which had devastating consequences for the antiquities market. "The Cultural Heritage Crusade" claims that 'Source Countries' have an indefeasible right to ancient artefacts found in their soil. And past acquisitions, like the Elgin Marbles, should be returned. Archaeologists widely accept this, and also the need for government 'prohibitions' to prevent the looting of the sites. But this makes Antiquity a plaything of the modern humbug - of national vanity, of antiwestern dogma, of political correctness, and the academic's disdain for the very idea of profit. None of which will prevent the looting. "The Cultural Heritage Crusade", in short, is not an answer to the problem. It may actually be the problem. This book is both a philosophical analysis and a demonstration - in one country, Egypt - of its horrific consequences.

About the Author :
Jonathan Tokeley was contentiously convicted in 1997 after a landmark trial for smuggling Egyptian antiquities.

Review :
"An intriguing and illuminating book in a delicate, inextricable matrix of ways. Tokeley's convincing presentation of the complexity of the issue at stake is enhanced and supported by his style, at once light, accessible, and most profound, thanks to the nature of his evidence." -- Nadezda Stojkoviae European Legacy "This is a major and very important book and should be on the reading list of anyone teaching a course on archaeological ethics... By far the most controversial and most coherent [of the books under review]." -- Andrew Selkirk Current World Archaeology "Tokeley has been philosophically trained, and in addition to fascinating details about the trade in antiquties, he does lay out his arguments in detail and make a number of highly relevant distinctions... If philosophy has a role in presenting robust and clear argument for unfashionable positions in political and ethical areas, Tokeley's book is certainly worthy of philosophical attention." Philosophy "There is no doubt that Tokeley is one of the foremost restorers of antiquities of his generation...the book deserves to be read by anyone involved with antiquities: curator, dealer, collector, and not simply those who are Eqyptian antiquities orientated...it is certainly a thought-provoking and riveting read." -- Peter A. Clayton Ancient Egypt "Who owns the world's archaeological treasures? Those who live on top of them, those who dig them up, those who look after them, those who buy them from whoever claims a right to sell? The questions are even more urgent as cultural change and political corruption corrode the old discipline of archaeology. Jonathan Tokeley's book tells the story of the vicissitudes to which the world's archaeological heritage is now subject, and the conclusions he draws will challenge all those who believe that the treasures of Egypt are safe in the hands of the officials who take charge of them." -- Professor Roger Scruton, University of Buckingham "Jonathan Tokeley writes with verve and conviction, deploying philosophical analysis, historical knowledge, and personal experience to develop a case against new orthodoxies and pieties concerning the acquisition, sale, and private ownership of antiquities. Whatever their starting point, I doubt that anyone reading this book would not have their minds changed on at least some aspects of these matters. Curators, collectors, dealers, legislators and others interested in the protection of cultural artifacts should certainly read Tokeley's passionate narrative." -- Professor John Haldane FRSE, Director, Centre for Ethics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, University of St Andrews "It is hard to get any view that conflicts with a liberal consensus taken seriously. This book attacks the liberal consensus on protecting archaeological heritage which favours public ownership by countries of origin. Tokeley writes with the sort of personal passion that makes for entertaining reading, while easily inviting dismissal. In fact his argument is one that should be treated with the utmost seriousness by anyone truly concerned with rescuing and protecting important residues of our past." -- Professor Gordon Graham FRSE, Princeton Theological Seminary, author, Philosophy of the Arts (Routledge) "His book does two thought-provoking things. It describes how and why the illicit trade operates in Egypt; and it sets up a large-scale argument to demonstrate that treating ancient art objects as privatepropertyis the best way of ensuring their survival. The first task is done chillingly well." -- Noel Malcolm Sunday Telegraph