The remains were removed by Italians in 1087 and placed in the church at Bari in southern Italy.
Now a Turkish archaeologist, Professor Nevzat Cevik, from Demre (the modern town on the site of Myra) has called for the bones to be returned, and Turkish authorities are reported to be taking the claim seriously.
The issue will no doubt provide fascinating discussions: a culturally Greek Christian bishop from a now Muslim Turkey. But I suspect the publicity will help to boost visitors to Demre and the town's famous plastic Santa.
3 comments:
Such a claim could only be a "moral one," but one wonders about the Turks' own "clean hands" in such matters. The tombs of many Saints were desecrated when the Ottomans took Constantinople. Moreover, most of the countries' Christians of Greek descent were "ethnically cleansed" in the 1920's. When one bases one's claim on "moral reasons," such issues naturally arise as well.
It's a tricky one. Should the Turkish authorities invoke the spirit of NAGPRA? Can we really regard looting almost a thousand years ago as something that requirres redress? If so, ought Pope Benedict XVI return the obelisk in St Peter's Square to Egypt?
I've put a link to this post from my blog, if that's okay.
Keith
I enjoyed seeing how you developed the story.
Best wishes for 2010,
David
Post a Comment