Artefact Repatriation Trend Sparks Anxiety in Denmark

According to leaders of the Arnamagnæan Collection in Copenhagen, new attitudes towards the return of cultural artefacts to their countries of origin could lead to pressure on Denmark to return the Icelandic manuscripts that remain there, according to RUV Iceland. A powerful research centre in the city would bring better results, though, one professor believes.

The matter is reported in Fréttablaðið today, which reports that the Collection rejected a request from the Norwegian national library for the loan of several manuscripts.

The director of the library was disappointed with the rejection, which was justified by the Collection explaining that the manuscripts could be damaged by being on display for more than three months. Research by Copenhagen University was also cited. 

Arnamagnæan Collection curator Anne Mette Hansen has also admitted in the Kulturen programme on DR that Collection managers believed the Norwegian request could have been seen as a precedent that could have led to Iceland demanding more manuscripts. In November last year, the Danish National Museum decided to return ownership of a 1691 Sami drum to the Sami in Norway.

The practice of so-called “repatriation” also came up for discussion, specifically in relation to the return of artefacts to countries of origin that the UK and France have been forced to make.