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One of Britain's shining pearls, the British Museum, has been shrouded in an unprecedented scandal. This historic cultural mecca has always been known for its rich collection and impeccable management, but when an antique dealer discovers a familiar piece of jewelry on the second-hand auction site eBay, all good illusions are shattered.
It was a jewel that mysteriously disappeared from the British Museum, and its appearance revealed a shocking secret: the British Museum has long stolen a staggering 2,000 pieces! This compelling story goes back to 2020. At that time, an antique dealer came across an antique piece of jewelry on eBay and wondered.
He checked the British Museum's online catalogue and found an identical artifact, except that the gold rim of the auctioned jewelry had been cut off. He speculated that there might be an inner ghost in the British Museum. What's even more shocking is that the item was on shelves in 2016, which could mean that employees at the British Museum were already stealing artifacts at that time or even earlier.
The honest antique dealer immediately alerted the British Museum, which initially promised to investigate the matter seriously. However, the truth was not revealed until three years later, and the whistleblower's warning was not heeded. Sadly, these stolen artifacts are grossly undervalued and even ruthlessly destroyed.
For example, they will melt gold, recut gemstones, etc. The antique jewelry mentioned above is disposed of separately today, and the rest is sold as scrap. The jewel has a list price tag of just £40 on eBay, but its true value is between £25,000 and £50,000.
On 16 August 2023, the British Museum officially released a statement acknowledging the theft of its treasury and the disappearance of part of its gold and jewellery collection. The staff responsible for the collection has been dismissed and the London Police have launched an investigation into the case. The time span of the stolen artifacts is considerable, spanning more than 3,000 years from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD. To date, however, the police have not arrested anyone.
Most of these artifacts are stored in collections and are used not for exhibitions, but for academic research. However, this statement does not specify the specific origin or historical period of the stolen artefacts. Although the British Museum has experienced many thefts before, this time it was revealed that 2,000 thefts were undoubtedly a heavy blow to the museum's management and security.
The incident also attracted global attention, with many countries once again shouting for the return of looted antiquities from the United Kingdom. The Global Times published an editorial demanding that the British Museum return all Chinese cultural relics obtained through improper channels free of charge. Whether the British government can take this opportunity to wash away the colonial stain and make amends for historical guilt will be an important point of observation in the future.
This incident exposed the huge loopholes in the British Museum and reminded us that whether it is the protection of cultural relics or respect for history, we need to be vigilant and respectful at all times.
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