So, when is a claim for the Return of a National Treasure, either based, or not based, upon Anachronism?

Anachronism in a claim for the return of a ‘National Treasure’, e.g. the ‘Parthenon Marbles’, occurs when the context or significance of the disputed artefact is viewed through a modern lens.

‘Anachronism’ involves applying contemporary ideas and values, e.g. ‘Cultural Ownership’ or ‘Self-Determination’, to historical situations where these concepts did not exist or were understood differently, thereby creating a tension between:

(i)  ‘Historical Legality’; and

(ii) ‘Moral’ Claims.

As a ‘Method of Claim’, Anachronism can ‘frame’ historical acts of acquisition, e.g. ‘colonial plunder’, as being inherently wrong, by using a contemporary understanding of ‘justice’ and ‘cultural rights’, to challenge the ‘legality’ of past actions.

For example, the display of objects like the ‘Benin Bronzes’ in Western, i.e. ‘Market State’ museums, is seen by many as perpetuating the physical and symbolic violence of their colonial acquisition, making their continued presence anachronistic to the contemporary understanding of the victims’ cultural heritage.

The claim that an object belongs to its place of origin, even if legally acquired under outdated laws, uses the ‘Modern Concept’ of ‘Cultural Heritage’ as a ‘living entity’, rather than as a ‘static object’, which can also be seen as anachronistic.

However, a claim which revolves around:

(i)         ‘Legal’ and ‘Ethical’ arguments about ‘acquisition’;

(ii)        the concept of ‘Cultural Heritage’; and

(iii)       the ‘legitimacy’ of ‘territorial claims’ over historical artifacts, i.e. in the context of ‘Historical Power Dynamics’, rather than simply applying modern standards to past events,

is not Anachronistic.

That is because, the claim for return focusses on ‘differing historical interpretations’ of ‘legality’, ‘ethics’, and ‘ownership’, rather than ‘anachronistic judgment’, by engaging with the ‘historical context’ of ‘power dynamics’.

Anachronism would apply, if the claimant, i.e. the ‘Source State’, had wrongly projected ‘modern concepts’, onto the past, without considering ‘historical realities’.

However a claim which focuses on:

(i) the inherent ‘historical context’ of ‘differing ethical viewpoints’; and

(ii) ‘legal standards’ that existed during the period of acquisition,

thereby, axiomatically excludes any ‘Anachronistic judgment.’

In other words, notwithstanding the use of Anachronism in emotional political rhetoric, logically, because of the focus of such a claim, it cannot be based upon Anachronism.

Thus, the claim for the Return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, is not based upon Anachronism.