Idanthyrsus
@idanthyrsus.bsky.social
Art/tech/int'l law focused | Late Antiquity and Silk Road art history obsessive
Even a museum in Benin City not under the Oba's control is too much for his supporters. This is a result of the Nigerian State's foolish decision to give the Benin Bronzes to the descendant of slaver autocrats rather than holding them in trust for all Nigerians.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Protesters target major new Nigerian museum embroiled in looted artefacts row
Protest at Mowaa comes amid dispute over ownership of Benin bronzes looted by British colonial forces
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Even a museum in Benin City not under the Oba's control is too much for his supporters. This is a result of the Nigerian State's foolish decision to give the Benin Bronzes to the descendant of slaver autocrats rather than holding them in trust for all Nigerians.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
It is sad, but unsurprising, that the new head of UNESCO is one who presided over intentional cultural heritage destruction in Egypt. UNESCO from Azerbaijan to China ignores heritage destruction and States should view it as having little legitimacy.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
www.reuters.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:44 AM
It is sad, but unsurprising, that the new head of UNESCO is one who presided over intentional cultural heritage destruction in Egypt. UNESCO from Azerbaijan to China ignores heritage destruction and States should view it as having little legitimacy.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Egypt has a gov't engaged in the destruction of disfavored heritage, in this case Islamic heritage. Perhaps el-Sisi's regime might stop destroying the heritage entrusted to it before baselessly claiming that which legally and ethically belongs to others.
www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menaso...
www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menaso...
November 8, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Egypt has a gov't engaged in the destruction of disfavored heritage, in this case Islamic heritage. Perhaps el-Sisi's regime might stop destroying the heritage entrusted to it before baselessly claiming that which legally and ethically belongs to others.
www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menaso...
www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menaso...
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
The organizer of the inaugural IndieChina Film Festival in New York said he was forced to cancel after facing a "relentless" pressure campaign, and that he may be unable to travel back to China.
"I did think it might be better here....It turns out I was wrong."
"I did think it might be better here....It turns out I was wrong."
Indie Chinese film festival in US canceled after pressure campaign
Organizer's reports of harassment echo other allegations of transnational repression
asia.nikkei.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:28 AM
The organizer of the inaugural IndieChina Film Festival in New York said he was forced to cancel after facing a "relentless" pressure campaign, and that he may be unable to travel back to China.
"I did think it might be better here....It turns out I was wrong."
"I did think it might be better here....It turns out I was wrong."
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
A unique fire worshipping scene for #BonfireNight 🔥
Reconstructing a wall painting from the Sogdian palace of Sanjar-Shah, Tajikistan reveals a procession of priests approaching a large fire altar, offering a rare insight into ancient fire worship.
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🏺 #Archaeology
Reconstructing a wall painting from the Sogdian palace of Sanjar-Shah, Tajikistan reveals a procession of priests approaching a large fire altar, offering a rare insight into ancient fire worship.
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🏺 #Archaeology
November 5, 2025 at 8:13 AM
A unique fire worshipping scene for #BonfireNight 🔥
Reconstructing a wall painting from the Sogdian palace of Sanjar-Shah, Tajikistan reveals a procession of priests approaching a large fire altar, offering a rare insight into ancient fire worship.
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🏺 #Archaeology
Reconstructing a wall painting from the Sogdian palace of Sanjar-Shah, Tajikistan reveals a procession of priests approaching a large fire altar, offering a rare insight into ancient fire worship.
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🏺 #Archaeology
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 640 others, as well as damaging the historic Blue Mosque, officials said. https://to.pbs.org/47HUdXL
Powerful 6.3 earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, killing 20 and damaging historic Blue Mosque
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 640 others, as well as damaging the historic Blue Mosque, officials...
www.pbs.org
November 4, 2025 at 1:36 AM
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 640 others, as well as damaging the historic Blue Mosque, officials said. https://to.pbs.org/47HUdXL
This sort of complicity with the Chinese state is in culture heritage orgs too. @combatlooting.bsky.social founder and chair Deborah Lehr was advising companies on how to do business in Xinjiang as late as 2021 and still publicly endorses Chinese heritage policies in the midst of cultural genocide.
November 4, 2025 at 2:25 AM
This sort of complicity with the Chinese state is in culture heritage orgs too. @combatlooting.bsky.social founder and chair Deborah Lehr was advising companies on how to do business in Xinjiang as late as 2021 and still publicly endorses Chinese heritage policies in the midst of cultural genocide.
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
Sheffield Hallam University complied with Beijing demand to halt research about human rights abuses in China, leading to a major project on supply chains and forced labour being dropped. It was reinstated after threat of legal action but chilling effect remains www.theguardian.com/education/20...
UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China
Exclusive: Leading professor at Sheffield Hallam was told to cease research on supply chains and forced labour in China after demands from authorities
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Sheffield Hallam University complied with Beijing demand to halt research about human rights abuses in China, leading to a major project on supply chains and forced labour being dropped. It was reinstated after threat of legal action but chilling effect remains www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
US government allowed and even helped US firms sell tech used for surveillance in China, AP finds – AP: ‘China is getting around export bans on the sale of powerful American AI chips by renting them through U.S. cloud services instead.’
US government allowed and even helped US firms sell tech used for surveillance in China, AP finds
Even while warning about national security and human rights abuse, the U.S. government across five Republican and Democratic administrations has repeatedly allowed and even actively helped American fi...
apnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:13 PM
US government allowed and even helped US firms sell tech used for surveillance in China, AP finds – AP: ‘China is getting around export bans on the sale of powerful American AI chips by renting them through U.S. cloud services instead.’
A new heist at a far less famous museum than the Louvre, and of objects of smaller individual value, but given the scope of heritage stolen this is a terrible loss for both Oakland and California. Hopefully this theft will be treated with the gravity it warrants.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
'A real violation.' More than 1,000 artifacts stolen from California museum in brazen heist
Items stolen from the Oakland Museum of California included Native American baskets, jewelry, laptops, historic photographs and intricately carved ivory tusks.
www.latimes.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:09 AM
A new heist at a far less famous museum than the Louvre, and of objects of smaller individual value, but given the scope of heritage stolen this is a terrible loss for both Oakland and California. Hopefully this theft will be treated with the gravity it warrants.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
A flurry of videos shows Rapid Support Forces in Sudan carrying out extrajudicial killings and attacking apparent civilians fleeing North Darfur’s capital El Fasher following the takeover of the city by the RSF.
Urgent international action is needed.
Urgent international action is needed.
October 27, 2025 at 9:23 PM
A flurry of videos shows Rapid Support Forces in Sudan carrying out extrajudicial killings and attacking apparent civilians fleeing North Darfur’s capital El Fasher following the takeover of the city by the RSF.
Urgent international action is needed.
Urgent international action is needed.
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab says satellite images seem to show mass killings in Sudan's western city of el-Fasher.
Yale report finds evidence of RSF mass killings in Sudan’s el-Fasher
Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab says satellite images seem to show mass killings in Sudan's western city of el-Fasher.
bit.ly
October 28, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab says satellite images seem to show mass killings in Sudan's western city of el-Fasher.
Again the Louvre theft is framed with baseless claims that the jewelry was the product of colonialism in an attempt to downplay the crime. This time the claims are offered by someone who is self-described as being the author of revenge fantasies celebrating such acts. These are not serious people.
![It’s a real sense of entitlement,” she says. “Like, ‘These are our jewels, this is our heritage, of course these belong in our museum, and no one will try and take them from us.’ But they are the product of colonial empires. They were already stolen property. The idea that they [might be] dismantled and the jewels cut down and sold — there’s a symbolism to that.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6gatzrhocrdy2z6gs3whkfnj/bafkreichltuvs5rqcganx6uctkfxenqlpwjhvwuqenj5647xak4oac43di@jpeg)
October 22, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Again the Louvre theft is framed with baseless claims that the jewelry was the product of colonialism in an attempt to downplay the crime. This time the claims are offered by someone who is self-described as being the author of revenge fantasies celebrating such acts. These are not serious people.
Here we have a criminologist downplaying a crime because it was committed against the wrong victim. The hypocrisy while not surprising, is disappointing. Dr. Smith could not wait a week to instrumentalize the theft to attack Western museum collections and score an ideological point.
Sunday’s heist at the Louvre has stirred a lot of headlines. I argue @hyperallergic.com that the real vulnerability lies not in museum security, but in the colonial foundations of Western museum collections. #ArtTheft #Decolonization #Repatriation #PublicMemory
🔗 hyperallergic.com/1051113/the-...
🔗 hyperallergic.com/1051113/the-...
The Louvre Heist Was a Colonial Wake-Up Call
The stunning theft reveals more than a failure of security: It lays bare how austerity, neglect, and unresolved colonial legacies continue to haunt the museum.
hyperallergic.com
October 22, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Here we have a criminologist downplaying a crime because it was committed against the wrong victim. The hypocrisy while not surprising, is disappointing. Dr. Smith could not wait a week to instrumentalize the theft to attack Western museum collections and score an ideological point.
Important and detailed analysis on the extent of looting and cultural heritage destruction in the Sudanese Civil War and the heroic work done to document the destruction and protect Sudan's heritage. Also reveals that this year a list has finally been drafted of known looted antiquities from Sudan.
October 20, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Important and detailed analysis on the extent of looting and cultural heritage destruction in the Sudanese Civil War and the heroic work done to document the destruction and protect Sudan's heritage. Also reveals that this year a list has finally been drafted of known looted antiquities from Sudan.
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
NEW Sudan is a diverse country with a rich cultural heritage that is under threat from conflict. In a guest editorial, Habab Idriss Ahmed & Geoff Emberling discuss the brave efforts of the Sudanese antiquities department (NCAM) to protect Sudan's #archaeology 🏺
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
October 20, 2025 at 7:13 AM
NEW Sudan is a diverse country with a rich cultural heritage that is under threat from conflict. In a guest editorial, Habab Idriss Ahmed & Geoff Emberling discuss the brave efforts of the Sudanese antiquities department (NCAM) to protect Sudan's #archaeology 🏺
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
It's sad to see an expert in art law joke about the theft and likely destruction of heritage for likes. Between this, the Drents Museum theft, and the revelation of the scope of the looting of Sudan's National Museum, 2025 has been a terrible year for heritage in museums. It's no laughing matter.
Who robbed the Louvre? Right answers only.
October 20, 2025 at 6:29 AM
It's sad to see an expert in art law joke about the theft and likely destruction of heritage for likes. Between this, the Drents Museum theft, and the revelation of the scope of the looting of Sudan's National Museum, 2025 has been a terrible year for heritage in museums. It's no laughing matter.
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
In case you missed it last week:
We gathered a few friends and colleagues to write about the extraordinary life of Jerome A. Cohen (1930-2025), renowned lawyer and scholar of Chinese law.
We gathered a few friends and colleagues to write about the extraordinary life of Jerome A. Cohen (1930-2025), renowned lawyer and scholar of Chinese law.
Remembering Jerome A. Cohen
Jerome Alan Cohen (July 1, 1930 – September 22, 2025) was a renowned American lawyer who was one of the foremost foreign scholars of Chinese law. After studying law at Yale, Cohen embarked on a career...
www.chinafile.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:31 PM
In case you missed it last week:
We gathered a few friends and colleagues to write about the extraordinary life of Jerome A. Cohen (1930-2025), renowned lawyer and scholar of Chinese law.
We gathered a few friends and colleagues to write about the extraordinary life of Jerome A. Cohen (1930-2025), renowned lawyer and scholar of Chinese law.
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
Mongolian has some wild Eurasian etymologies! 🥰 My favourite one is nom ᠨᠣᠮ ('book'), from Greek νόμος, via Sogdian and Old Uyghur. The semantic shift 'custom, law' > 'scripture' > 'book' is lovely.
Btw nomos also has a Syriac > Arabic result, nāmōsā ܢܳܡܘܿܣܳܐ > nāmūs ناموس 😀
@kebuhcah.bsky.social
Btw nomos also has a Syriac > Arabic result, nāmōsā ܢܳܡܘܿܣܳܐ > nāmūs ناموس 😀
@kebuhcah.bsky.social
October 12, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Mongolian has some wild Eurasian etymologies! 🥰 My favourite one is nom ᠨᠣᠮ ('book'), from Greek νόμος, via Sogdian and Old Uyghur. The semantic shift 'custom, law' > 'scripture' > 'book' is lovely.
Btw nomos also has a Syriac > Arabic result, nāmōsā ܢܳܡܘܿܣܳܐ > nāmūs ناموس 😀
@kebuhcah.bsky.social
Btw nomos also has a Syriac > Arabic result, nāmōsā ܢܳܡܘܿܣܳܐ > nāmūs ناموس 😀
@kebuhcah.bsky.social
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
New today: my essay in @jodemocracy.bsky.social on The Golden Age of Transnational Repression: www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the...
The Golden Age of Transnational Repression | Journal of Democracy
Authoritarian regimes are targeting exiles and diaspora communities in more places than ever before. Activists, journalists, and regular people living abroad must watch their backs…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
October 1, 2025 at 11:35 AM
New today: my essay in @jodemocracy.bsky.social on The Golden Age of Transnational Repression: www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the...
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
The decline of language study in the US makes our country weaker, less capable, less intelligent, and increasingly myopic. Language opens up the world while knowing only English closes off much of the world. If you agree, contact your government officials to tell them to reinstate Title VI.
September 30, 2025 at 4:52 PM
The decline of language study in the US makes our country weaker, less capable, less intelligent, and increasingly myopic. Language opens up the world while knowing only English closes off much of the world. If you agree, contact your government officials to tell them to reinstate Title VI.
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
Last night, we watched an episode of Zillow Gone Wild wherein a young girl in the 1970s convinced her parents in Lake Tahoe to paint her bedroom like the palace at Knossos and I have never felt closer to a small child.
September 29, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Last night, we watched an episode of Zillow Gone Wild wherein a young girl in the 1970s convinced her parents in Lake Tahoe to paint her bedroom like the palace at Knossos and I have never felt closer to a small child.
UNESCO's new Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects ironically has no discussions of antiquities theft or trafficking. None of the objects in the 'museum' have context of when, how or why they were stolen; only the below boilerplate explanation as to why an object is included.
museum.unesco.org
museum.unesco.org
September 29, 2025 at 6:20 PM
UNESCO's new Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects ironically has no discussions of antiquities theft or trafficking. None of the objects in the 'museum' have context of when, how or why they were stolen; only the below boilerplate explanation as to why an object is included.
museum.unesco.org
museum.unesco.org
Reposted by Idanthyrsus
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Jerome A. Cohen, the eminent scholar of Chinese law. Our condolences to his family and all those who loved him.
He authored many books, most recently the memoir, "Eastward, Westward: A Life in Law."
(1/2)
He authored many books, most recently the memoir, "Eastward, Westward: A Life in Law."
(1/2)
September 23, 2025 at 4:23 PM
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Jerome A. Cohen, the eminent scholar of Chinese law. Our condolences to his family and all those who loved him.
He authored many books, most recently the memoir, "Eastward, Westward: A Life in Law."
(1/2)
He authored many books, most recently the memoir, "Eastward, Westward: A Life in Law."
(1/2)