Book Interview: Who Owns Antiquity? James Cuno

The Canadian Press

"That belongs in a museum!" Indiana Jones was scolding one of his many enemies, the last we heard from the hunky archaeologist, 19 years ago.

He has returned to the screen in the much-awaited sequel "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," and the debate about where antiquities belong is heating up again among Indy's less glamorous, real-world counterparts.

In an already controversial new book out later this month, "Who Owns Antiquity? Museums and the Battle for Our Ancient Heritage," author James Cuno argues for a return to the idea of "partage." The term refers to the system that persisted for many years in which foreign-led experts - typically Europeans and Americans - worked with locals to excavate antiquities in countries like Iraq and Egypt. Some of the material went to local museums, but much of the rest ended up in the museums in the experts' home countries.

But the system has been supplanted by conventions and national laws designed to keep antiquities in their home countries. Cuno, president and director of the Art Institute of Chicago, argues the changes have been harmful. He spoke recently to The Associated Press, and his responses are excerpted here.

AP: You write in the book that you've changed your thinking about how antiquities should be handled has changed? How and why?

Cuno: Initially, I thought like everyone probably the best thing was for (antiquities) to be preserved as is, for archeologists to excavate and document. I then came to realize other people wanted other things from them. Those in power in nation states in whose jurisdiction antiquities lay wanted a kind of legitimization of their political position. So antiquities and ancient heritage became a means to a political end, when I thought originally it was the stuff of academic science.

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