A collection of historic and artistic treasures recovered from an ancient shipwreck and collected by Singapore will be loaned to a museum for a showing in the United States in conjunction with a Singaporean museum. It will be the first time the artifacts have been seen in the United States. A previous attempt to show the collection at the Smithsonian Institute in the United States was stalled and eventually canceled because of concerns about how the treasures were obtained.
Though the collection was brought up from the bottom of the ocean in a perfectly legal method, the fact that a commercial company sold the artifacts to Singapore for a profit goes against the principles set up by a worldwide organization that is dedicated to protecting the historic treasures of the world. Though neither Singapore nor the United States had signed anything adhering to this principle, the Smithsonian Institute backed out of showing the collection out of respect for the policy and the organization behind it.
Now, however, a unique partnership between a museum in New York and a museum in Singapore will bring the important treasures to a new audience who has never seen it before. There will also be a symposium on the items, providing valuable context to their importance. The ship, called a dhow, sank on its way to sell the items on a popular overseas trade route. The items have been preserved under the surface of the sea all this time, and include graceful stoneware ornaments and pitchers, large jars used for storage or decoration, and even a highly decorated and ornate bronze mirror. The entire collection is valued at being worth tens of millions of dollars, and it is one of the most talked about finds in history.
What’s even more special is that a Singaporean collector will be adding a few items from his own collection of similar historic artifacts to the exhibit, rounding out a presentation that will be sure to impress attendees of the showing at the museum. Experts have said that the items presented all together highlights the ideas of globalism present in Southeast Asia.
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To learn more about the collection of historical treasures from the shipwreck, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/singapores-tang-treasures-travel-to-the-us.