Yet again, the focus on ancient artefacts found in the UK relates (quite rightly in most cases) to re-locating them back to their place of discovery, and highlighting the work that needs to be done locally to discover more about their origins – yet when we look at foreign artefacts here only as the result of looting, the contextual arguments are regularly ignored.

From:
Guardian

Bronze Age treasure returns to Ambleside
Swords, dagger and spear are re-identified after years on private display in Royal properties. Guest blogger Eileen Jones reports from the shores of Windermere
Posted by Eileen Jones
Monday 28 November 2011 11.00 GMT

Yet another Northern hoard is making news, following recent discoveries in Yorkshire and Furness, the historic slice of Lancashire gobbled up by Cumbria in 1973/4.

This time it is Ambleside in the Lake District which is making news – and with a curious twist. Its collection of Bronze Age weaponry was discovered 270 year ago. Archaeologists are now trying to find out exactly where.
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This article identifies the duplicity I noticed earlier in the year with the Staffordshire Hoard. Whenever artefacts are found in the UK, efforts are made to keep them in the area where they were discovered, to the extent of organising fundraising appeals & comments are made by prominent politicians. On the other hand, when a foreign country asks for their artefacts to be returned, so that they too can keep them close to the area where they belong, they are frequently accused of having an argument that is nothing more than jingoistic cultural nationalism.

From:
News and Star

Is it our history?
By Stephen Blease
Last updated at 12:47, Friday, 01 October 2010

There’s no doubt about it. The Roman helmet unearthed in Crosby Garrett deserves to return to Cumbria.

It was found here. It’s as much a part of our history as that other great Roman relic, Hadrian’s Wall. It is great news that the campaign has got political backing from MPs John Stevenson and Rory Stewart – and financial backing from an anonymous donor offering £50,000.
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