The British Museum has dragged a former curator to court on Tuesday the museum has accused the ex-employee of stealing hundreds of artifacts and then putting them on sale online. Watch in for more details!

British museum drags Ex-Curator to court over stealing charges

Labour MP&nbsp;Bell Ribeiro-Addy has slammed the British Musem for refusing to return the stolen goods and artefacts to the country of their origin due to security reasons.&nbsp;Ribeiro-Addy said the recent thefts at the museum exposed the&nbsp;"insulting ridiculousness" of the institution's stance on the issue.&nbsp;

"One of the most insulting reasons that they’ve given is that the other countries that these items belong to would either not be able to take care of them or they are likely to be stolen. But you’ve got people in this country putting them on eBay,"&nbsp;Ribeiro-Addy was quoted as saying by The Guardian.&nbsp;

The Labour MP, who is also the chair of the&nbsp;all-party parliamentary group on Afrikan reparations, said the 1963 law that prohibits the return of objects such as the Parthenon marbles and the Benin bronzes should be changed.

"What makes it more awful is that they’ve been so lax about the suspected theft of other people’s items that they haven’t even bothered to assess what it is that they have....to know exactly what’s been stolen," she added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/british-museums-sacks-employees-over-missing-damaged-items-628759">Watch |&nbsp;British museum sacks employees over 'missing &amp; damaged' items</a>

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The controversial law, enacted by royal assent in 1963 states: "It&nbsp;shall be the duty of the Trustees of the British Museum to keep the objects comprised in the collections of the Museum within the authorised repositories of the Museum, except in so far as they may consider it expedient to remove them temporarily for any purpose connected with the administration of the Museum and the care of its collections."

<h2>What happened at the British Museum?</h2>

The parliamentarian's statement comes nearly a fortnight after the British Museum in London said nearly 2,000 antiquities had been stolen.&nbsp;The stolen items, worth millions of pounds allegedly include gold, jewellery, gems and semi-precious stones that date from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD.&nbsp;

The stolen items were not on display, and the museum kept them in the storeroom belonging to one of the collections. They also used the antiquities for academic and research work.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ironic-say-netizens-as-british-museum-sacks-staffer-after-items-found-missing-stolen-or-damaged-626192">Also read |&nbsp;'Ironic!' say netizens as British Museum sacks staffer after items found 'missing, stolen or damaged'</a>

Last week,&nbsp;Hartwig Fischer, the director of the museum, resigned from his position and admitted that his response to the warnings that an employee may have been stealing items should have been better and that the failings “must ultimately” rest with him.&nbsp;

“It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have,” said Fischer.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has slammed the British Musem for refusing to return the stolen goods and artefacts to the country of their origin due to security reasons.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has slammed the British Musem for refusing to return the stolen goods and artefacts to the country of their origin due to security reasons. Ribeiro-Addy said the recent thefts at the museum exposed the "insulting ridiculousness" of the institution's stance on the issue. "One of the most insulting reasons that they’ve given is that the other countries that these items belong to would either not be able to take care of them or they are likely to be stolen. But you’ve got people in this country putting them on eBay," Ribeiro-Addy was quoted as saying by The Guardian. The Labour MP, who is also the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Afrikan reparations, said the 1963 law that prohibits the return of objects such as the Parthenon marbles and the Benin bronzes should be changed. "What makes it more awful is that they’ve been so lax about the suspected theft of other people’s items that they haven’t even bothered to assess what it is that they have....to know exactly what’s been stolen," she added. Watch | British museum sacks employees over 'missing & damaged' items × The controversial law, enacted by royal assent in 1963 states: "It shall be the duty of the Trustees of the British Museum to keep the objects comprised in the collections of the Museum within the authorised repositories of the Museum, except in so far as they may consider it expedient to remove them temporarily for any purpose connected with the administration of the Museum and the care of its collections." What happened at the British Museum? The parliamentarian's statement comes nearly a fortnight after the British Museum in London said nearly 2,000 antiquities had been stolen. The stolen items, worth millions of pounds allegedly include gold, jewellery, gems and semi-precious stones that date from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD. The stolen items were not on display, and the museum kept them in the storeroom belonging to one of the collections. They also used the antiquities for academic and research work. Also read | 'Ironic!' say netizens as British Museum sacks staffer after items found 'missing, stolen or damaged' Last week, Hartwig Fischer, the director of the museum, resigned from his position and admitted that his response to the warnings that an employee may have been stealing items should have been better and that the failings “must ultimately” rest with him. “It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have,” said Fischer. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

British Museum theft: Labour MP bats for returning stolen artefacts to their country of origin

After being stolen from Mexico in the late 1950s, the ancient Olmec artefact known as "Gateway to the Underworld," has been returned to its homeland. The piece, also referred to as the Monument 9 of Chalcatzingo arrived in Mexico on a Mexican Air Force plane on Friday (May 19), following a repatriation operation supervised by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

The "Portal of the Underworld" holds historical and cultural importance for Mexico as it reaffirms the significance of the Olmec civilisation as one of the world's earliest and most remarkable civilisations.

The repatriation event was attended by notable figures, including Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, Chief Officer for North America Roberto Velasco, Consul General of Mexico in Denver Pavel Hernández, Consul General of Mexico in New York Jorge Islas, and INAH archaeologist Mario Córdova.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bird-flu-fowls-the-mood-kills-nearly-9000-marine-creatures-in-chile-france-develops-vaccine-for-ducks-596812">Bird flu 'fowls' the mood, kills nearly 9,000 marine creatures in Chile, France develops vaccine for ducks</a>

Considered Mexico's most sought-after piece from the Olmec civilisation, Monument 9 as per Reuters depicts the Chalcatzingo hill in central Mexico. Carved in volcanic stone, it stands 1.8 metres (5 feet) tall and 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) wide. Experts believe it belongs to the Mid-Pre-Classic period, dating back to 800-400 BC.

As per the Government of Mexico website, "The approximately 2,500-year-old monument was for decades Mexico's number one priority&nbsp;in terms of recovering its historical heritage."

<h2>The importance of the&nbsp;'Portal of the underworld'&nbsp;</h2>

The artefact was reportedly taken out of Mexico and eventually discovered in the United States in the 1960s. It was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York from 1970 to 1971.&nbsp;

"The piece has great meaning for our conception of ourselves... What is being restored to us explains where we come from, and that it is part of the heritage of the Mexican people," said Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

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He explained that "the piece confirms the importance of the Olmec civilization, one of the oldest and most outstanding civilizations of the world. One of the first civilizations that developed writing, and the zero."

The artefact will be exhibited in Morelos and will allow the Mexican people to connect with their past and heritage.

<h2>Olmec civilisation</h2>

The Olmec civilisation, one of the oldest in Mesoamerica, thrived between 1200 and 400 BC. It is renowned for its complex culture; the Olmecs played a pivotal role in shaping the region's worldview and political organization. It is also considered to be one of the first civilisations to develop writing and the number zero.&nbsp;

Foreign Secretary Ebrard emphasised the successful cooperation between Mexico and the United States in the repatriation process, highlighting the positive outcomes achieved through joint efforts.&nbsp;

"We have done this with the United States, which shows that when we work together we achieve results; this is testimony that Mexico-U.S. cooperation can be extraordinary," he said adding that the return of the "Portal of the Underworld" is a testament to the priority given by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Dr Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller to the preservation and recovery of Mexico's cultural heritage.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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After being stolen from Mexico in the late 1950s, the ancient Olmec artefact known as "Gateway to the Underworld," has been returned to its homeland. The piece, also referred to as the Monument 9 of Chalcatzingo arrived in Mexico on a Mexican Air Force plane on Friday (May 19), following a repatriation operation supervised by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

After being stolen from Mexico in the late 1950s, the ancient Olmec artefact known as "Gateway to the Underworld," has been returned to its homeland. The piece, also referred to as the Monument 9 of Chalcatzingo arrived in Mexico on a Mexican Air Force plane on Friday (May 19), following a repatriation operation supervised by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. The "Portal of the Underworld" holds historical and cultural importance for Mexico as it reaffirms the significance of the Olmec civilisation as one of the world's earliest and most remarkable civilisations. The repatriation event was attended by notable figures, including Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, Chief Officer for North America Roberto Velasco, Consul General of Mexico in Denver Pavel Hernández, Consul General of Mexico in New York Jorge Islas, and INAH archaeologist Mario Córdova. Also read | Bird flu 'fowls' the mood, kills nearly 9,000 marine creatures in Chile, France develops vaccine for ducks Considered Mexico's most sought-after piece from the Olmec civilisation, Monument 9 as per Reuters depicts the Chalcatzingo hill in central Mexico. Carved in volcanic stone, it stands 1.8 metres (5 feet) tall and 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) wide. Experts believe it belongs to the Mid-Pre-Classic period, dating back to 800-400 BC. As per the Government of Mexico website, "The approximately 2,500-year-old monument was for decades Mexico's number one priority in terms of recovering its historical heritage." The importance of the 'Portal of the underworld' The artefact was reportedly taken out of Mexico and eventually discovered in the United States in the 1960s. It was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York from 1970 to 1971. "The piece has great meaning for our conception of ourselves... What is being restored to us explains where we come from, and that it is part of the heritage of the Mexican people," said Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. Also read | Berlin police to investigate Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters for inciting hatred by donning ‘Nazi-style’ uniform He explained that "the piece confirms the importance of the Olmec civilization, one of the oldest and most outstanding civilizations of the world. One of the first civilizations that developed writing, and the zero." The artefact will be exhibited in Morelos and will allow the Mexican people to connect with their past and heritage. Olmec civilisation The Olmec civilisation, one of the oldest in Mesoamerica, thrived between 1200 and 400 BC. It is renowned for its complex culture; the Olmecs played a pivotal role in shaping the region's worldview and political organization. It is also considered to be one of the first civilisations to develop writing and the number zero. Foreign Secretary Ebrard emphasised the successful cooperation between Mexico and the United States in the repatriation process, highlighting the positive outcomes achieved through joint efforts. "We have done this with the United States, which shows that when we work together we achieve results; this is testimony that Mexico-U.S. cooperation can be extraordinary," he said adding that the return of the "Portal of the Underworld" is a testament to the priority given by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Dr Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller to the preservation and recovery of Mexico's cultural heritage. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Mexico's Olmec 'Portal of the Underworld' returns home after five decades in US

A Canadian tourist who stole mosaic tiles, parts of an amphora and a ceramics piece from the city of Pompeii 15 years ago, returned them saying they brought "bad luck".

The woman, identified as Nicole sent a package containing the artefacts to a travel agent in the southern Italian city of Pompeii, along with a confession letter.&nbsp;

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She wrote that she was in her early 20s when she visited the city's archaeological park in 2005 and the robbery caused a number of misfortunes to her that includes getting breast cancer twice and being hit by a financial crisis.&nbsp;

"The last time ending in a double mastectomy. My family and I also had financial problems. We’re good people and I don’t want to pass this curse on to my family or children."

"Please, take them back, they bring bad luck," she said as she sought "forgiveness from God".

She said she committed the theft as she wanted to possess a piece of history that "nobody could have", but the artefacts had "so much negative energy … linked to that land of destruction".&nbsp;

Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash after the gigantic eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in AD79. It was buried until it was rediscovered in the 16th century, which led to an understanding of how life used to be in ancient times.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

A Canadian tourist who stole mosaic tiles, parts of an amphora and a ceramics piece from the city of Pompeii 15 years ago, returned them saying they brought "bad luck".

A Canadian tourist who stole mosaic tiles, parts of an amphora and a ceramics piece from the city of Pompeii 15 years ago, returned them saying they brought "bad luck". The woman, identified as Nicole sent a package containing the artefacts to a travel agent in the southern Italian city of Pompeii, along with a confession letter. Also read | Archaeological crime gang uncovered in Italy, 10,000 artefacts recovered She wrote that she was in her early 20s when she visited the city's archaeological park in 2005 and the robbery caused a number of misfortunes to her that includes getting breast cancer twice and being hit by a financial crisis. "The last time ending in a double mastectomy. My family and I also had financial problems. We’re good people and I don’t want to pass this curse on to my family or children." "Please, take them back, they bring bad luck," she said as she sought "forgiveness from God". She said she committed the theft as she wanted to possess a piece of history that "nobody could have", but the artefacts had "so much negative energy … linked to that land of destruction". Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash after the gigantic eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in AD79. It was buried until it was rediscovered in the 16th century, which led to an understanding of how life used to be in ancient times.

Canadian woman returns artefacts saying they brought 'bad luck'

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artefacts theft

British museum drags Ex-Curator to court over stealing charges

British Museum theft: Labour MP bats for returning stolen artefacts to their country of origin

Mexico's Olmec 'Portal of the Underworld' returns home after five decades in US

Canadian woman returns artefacts saying they brought 'bad luck'