Claire Nicholas

Moving Monuments: Can Heritage Be Exported and Still Be Appreciated? Claire Nicholas

One argument used in the restitution debate is that museum artefacts should be returned to their original country in order to be fully appreciated, by locals and tourists alike. This project challenges that argument, by conducting visitor studies at a selection of temple sites in Egypt, Europe and the US. Nubia provided an ideal case study, due to a small (Egyptian) Nubian temple having been donated to each of the five countries which gave most support to the UNESCO salvage campaign of the 1960s. Interviews were also conducted with local communities and key experts, and opinions collected from the general population around the world. The results were cut by nationality of respondent, to identify whether those coming from a country with a Nubian temple felt more strongly than others. It is the first time such a study has been undertaken, and it produced some interesting findings. Students of cultural heritage, Nubian archaeology and museology might be interested in this book, as could anyone with an interest in the restitution debate or Egyptian modern history.