grade LA/Social Studies and Art/Technology

2. Project Description:

A. Stolen History: The Benin Bronze

The Benin Bronzes (Instructions to students)

You will be divided into small groups. Each group will be asked to research and present a case of "stolen history." This case involves international adventure and intrigue at the highest levels. Specifically it is about the Benin Bronzes that were taken from Nigeria by the British in the 19th century and are now found in museums throughout the world.

Each group will research part of the story and prepare a report for presentation to the "court of public opinion." Each person in the group will participate in the final presentation about the fate of the bronzes. Who are the rightful owners? Should the Bronzes stay with the present owners, or should they be returned to Benin?

B. OBJECTIVES

To learn about the past - Sub-Saharan Africa

To bring historical knowledge to a present day problem

To understand the concept of "ethics"

To research international law

To learn about the value in history of art and artifacts

NOTE TO TEACHERS: All resources should be examined for reading level. Some sources are full of legal jargon that is much to difficult for middle school students. I print out the most difficult and highlight those passages that are the most important. I allowed one 90 minute period for students to find/examine and print out the pages I had found. We spent another period in group discussion of the materials. The final period was used for the presentation and group discussion.

When I do this off line, I print out the resources as well as the instructions for each group. I put the materials for each group in a manila envelope along with additional print resources. I also provide colored marking pens and large paper for poster size illustrations for presentation.

TEAM ASSIGNMENTS

1. HISTORIANS - will present information that answers the following questions:

QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS

From where did the bronzes come? When were they created? What was their purpose?

Why were they taken from Benin? Who took them? Why? When did this happen?

Where are they now?

Internet Resources:

CNN - Africa losing priceless relics - Oct. 10, 1995

Scanned Page from London Paper about Benin Bronzes

2. CARTOGRAPHERS will create a map that answers the following questions:

QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS

From where did the bronzes come? (Look up the word

"cartographer" in the dictionary.)

Where did they go? Where are they now?

Internet Resources:

Map of Benin

History of Benin

3. NEWSPAPER REPORTERS - this group will create an article (with headline) that presents the facts

QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS

What is the problem? What is the position of each group claiming to own the bronzes?

What/who gives the legal right to possession of the object(s)?

What would be the most "ethical" solution? (Look up the word "ethical" in the dictionary.)

Internet Resources:

Scanned Page from London Paper about Benin Bronzes

4. ILLUSTRATORS Create poster illustrating the bronzes and how they were made

QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS

What are the bronzes?

How were they made? What is "Lost Wax Casting?"

Internet Resources:

Bronze in Art

Print Resource for Lost Wax Casting Process:

AFRICA Eyewitness Books, A Dorling Kindersley Book, 1995 ISBN

0-679-87334-1

5. MUSEUM CURATORS/APPRAISERS - will present the facts about the bronzes

QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS

(Look up the words "curator" and "appraiser" in the dictionary)

Internet Resources:

Code of professional ethics for museum and dealer personnel Agencies

argument for and against private vs public ownership of antiquities

African Religious And Cultural Objects - Letter from Bernie Grant,

MP to Julian Spalding Curator

of the Glasgow Museum which holds the Benin Bronzes

Letter from Juilan Spalding in response to Bernie Grants letter

Letter from Emmanula N Arinze to Julian Spalding Curator of the

Glasgow Museum which holds the Benin Bronzes

6. LAWYERS FOR PRESENT OWNERS - will research the law on behalf of the

collectors

QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS

Internet Resources:

WHAT IS THE LAW?

CRM: US Government Agencies

ArchNet: CRM & Historic Preservation Resources

Museums

Art Historian Code of Ethics - difficult to read

Legal instruments

UNESCO recommendations for Protection of the World Cultural and

Natural Heritage

Code of professional ethics for museum and dealer personnel Agencies

GENERAL

ICOM workshop on traffic in stolen goods

HotBot results: stolen antiquities

=5&act.next.y=10(11+)

article from book entitled 100 Missing Objects

Is history just a lot of bad uncollectible debts?

argument for and against private vs public ownership of antiquities

7. LAWYERS FOR BENIN - will research the law on behalf of the state of Benin.

QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS

Why should these objects stay in their present locations?

What law applies? In the Unidroit Convention what is the "statute of limitations?" What is it?

What/who gives the legal right to possession of the object(s)?

Internet Resources:

WHAT IS THE LAW?

CRM: US Government Agencies

ArchNet: CRM & Historic Preservation Resources

Museums

Appeal of Decision in US court about return of Cypriot Mosaic from

French and US Art dealers

Art Historian Code of Ethics - difficult to read

Legal instruments

UNESCO recommendations for Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage

Code of professional ethics for museum and dealer personnel Agencies

GENERAL

ICOM workshop on traffic in stolen goods

HotBot results: stolen antiquities

=5&act.next.y=10(11+)

article from book entitled 100 Missing Objects

Is history just a lot of bad uncollectible debts?

argument for and against private vs public ownership of antiquities

Why do the people of Benin have a right to these objects?

What law or convention applies? Why should they be returned to Benin?

What/who gives the legal right to possession of the object(s)?

Who signed these conventions?

3. This is a Problem Based lesson which requires students to tackle a real life global problem and at the same time learn about the art and history of an important area of the world. I was amazed at the quality of the discussion at the end of the lesson. It is definitely worth video taping the presentations and the ensuing discussions. Because it is problem based the outcome is not certain. Students are

required to:

1. Search for and obtain material via the internet (a teacher could obtain these materials and print them out for the groups prior to the lesson)

2. Discuss the materials in small groups

3. Prepare a persuasive presentation to the entire class

Access to the internet means that the students will have access to thelatest information about this topic.

Working in small groups means that all students will participate.

Higher level thinking skills must be used to analyze and synthesize the materials.

I have not only presented this lesson in my own classes when we studied west Africa, but it has been replicated with the same success in other classes.