Certified Copy

9/7/2013 - London

The massive British Museum needs a new name. The majority of the pieces in the museum are not from Britain; they were "acquired" from other places. The Rosetta Stone, the Sphinx's beard, and much of the interior of the Parthenon are all here. It must be hard for Greeks and Egyptians to see all their national treasures on display in London.

In contrast, the first piece on display at the Japanese exhibit isn't an ancient treasure, it's a replica. Specifically, it is a copy of the Kudara Kannon statue I saw in Nara. The statue's placard has excuses about it being a copy: "The spirit of Kannon ensures that although this statue is a replica, it is in some ways 'real' as well. Copies keep old forms alive." I agree with this, and I think more of the non-British objects in the museum should be replicas. Send the treasures home!

Pictured: An ancient (300-250 BC) lion statue from Knidos (Turkey) in the British Museum.