The riddle of the Sphinx's beard
A Touch Of Nokoko by Kofi Akumanyi
Under an agreement which has taken two years to negotiate, the Museum exchanged the fragment on long-term loan in return for the body of the jackal deity Anubis, the head of which the museum already has.
The museum is also to send back the Uraeus or diadem from the Sphinx's brow, Negotiations have been slowed down by an announcement by the Egyptian authorities last year that the fragment would be stuck back onto the 4000-year-old Sphinx. This, the museum felt, would- make mockery of the loan concept, even though in private, museums officials conceded that it would probably be permanent.
It is now understood that the fragment, which represents about one thirtieth of the beard, will be restored with other fragments of the beard in the Cairo museum in such a way that it would be removed if the British museum decided to ask for it back. Although the museum emphasises that the agreement is not a precedent, it has given a new hope to those campaigning for the return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece.
I have never seen the original Mona Lisa painting nor even set eyes on the Great Pyramids of Giza so I cannot truthfully describe the world famous enigmatic smile that provokes some people to attack the painting or the awesome majesty of the latter. But I have read enough about them to appreciate the fact that they are important artefacts in the world today and are there for the fuller appreciation of all art lovers.
What I am not sure about is the real motive for plundering the art treasures of the developing world to fill the museums of already well-stocked western countries and private museums.The idea has gained currency that art treasures are better appreciated, culturally where they originated hence the recent international outcry for the return of museum pieces most of which were plundered directly by foreigners who have no cultural identity with the customs, or by the natives themselves who are lured by the offers of big money.
It is really pathetic when one hears the specious argument that plundered artworks now on display in foreign museums are exposed to much more people than would be the case if they were in their local environments. This argument has been pooh-poohed out of the international world, for obvious reasons. It is in the light of the foregoing that the great beard of the Sphinx is about to be returned to its proper location on its disfigured anatomy.
However, there is a small riddle, not unlike the riddle of the Sphinx itself, attached to the famous beard that has puzzled me - the condition in the agreement which stipulates that the piece of beard is on a long-term loan. A loan? How can a thing that belongs to you be on loan to you just because it happens to be in someone else's possession illegally?
The riddle must be answered and it is: what 4000-year-old man lost his beard in the desert under the scorching sun and found it after nearly 160 years but only on loan?
The answer from the Sphinx himself must be quite instructive as to the fate of personal possession.
…
"Oh, Great Sphinx! You who hold the secrets of the ancient Egyptian civilisation, you whose eyes once beheld the awesome spectacle of the industry and hard work of the Pharaoh's people, tell me why you stood there all these years and allowed the plunder of your physical assets?" I asked recently on a trip to Giza in Egypt.
"Have you also come to Egypt to plunder by way of writing about me?" his voice boomed across the desert like a thunderclap.
"Oh Great Sphinx, I'm only here to find out the truth about you and your stolen beard and diadem."
"That's what they all said and ended up nearly taking me apart."
"The Italian engineer who stole your beard didn't know exactly what he was doing when he 'donated' it to the British museum .. I wonder why he didn't give it to the Italian museum," I said.
"They call it cultural diplomacy," said the Sphinx.
"Cultural diplomacy? I don't know about that."
"You wouldn't until you study the British diplomacy thoroughly and it hits you in the beard that for over three hundred years the British exported their political, social and artistic traditions to foreign countries on a civilising mission."
"I don't see where this leads to your beard," I said puzzled.
"It doesn't, except that after the export of her culture throughout the world it was decided that it was a sin to allow it to be a one-way street," said The Sphinx.
"Oh, so they started plundering Ashanti, Benin, Egyptian and any treasures they could lay hands on?"
"That's right," said the Sphinx shaking his beard... or what's left of it, sadly.
"You must be happy, at least, because you're going to get your beard back," I said,
"All is well, that ends well."
"All's well that ends well, my eye! The whole thing has a sting in the tail, so to speak. After the paper work has been completed, I'll be on loan," the tear-drop was visibly dripping into the stubble where the beard used to be.
"I'm as touched as the British for this kind gesture on their part. But great Sphinx, there is one thing I don't understand. Really, why this turnaround by the British?"
"You don't understand? Well, come closer and I'll tell you in a whisper... you know, the government of Margaret Thatcher, true to their word of supporting and upholding Victorian values is giving up British cultural diplomacy to save money!"
