Archaeological remains - who cares?

[Berbescu]

Well, some answers then.

quot;](is it not better to have a copy of the piece to look at rather than not being able to see it at all?)

That's something that museums already do with their own collection!

So you are saying the Elgin Marbles on display in London are only copies of the original? Then it should not be an issue toreturn the originals to Athens!?

Unless they are lying to the public, as far as I know those on display are the originals. Museums throughout Europe are already starting to create digital archives (photos, 3D scans, etc.) of their collections. The replicas are usually created for scientific or educational purposes. And sometimes they ARE put on display in museums (with a sign that says it is a replica).

But there is a difference between a replica (no matter how good) and the original - in terms of monetary value and scientific value. There will always be collectors. The museums will always want to keep their artefacts for possible future study.