Letter: Buried treasures of the British Museum
Sir: Perhaps Graham Hancock (Letters, 21 December) could explain just what is the 'archaeological value beyond price' of the items from the Great Pyramid. In 1872, there was unlikely to have been much meticulous observation and recording of their context and without that they are little more than curios.
He might also explain why he feels that the British Museum has a duty to display these items. Many people, ignorant of a museum's function, think that an object in store is necessarily 'unexamined and forgotten'; but these have clearly been properly registered and could be produced promptly when required. I wish I had the resources to be able to do so for every item in our collection.
Yours sincerely,
JOHN RUFFLE
Keeper
The Oriental Museum
University of Durham
22 December
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