Posted on 02/20/2018 1:40:25 AM PST by Simon Green
Chinese authorities are livid over the theft of a thumb from a 2,000-year-old terracotta warrior on loan to a US museum, calling for the perpetrator to be "severely" punished.
The ancient statue is valued at $4.5 million and considered a "priceless part of China's cultural heritage." It was on display at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute when the vandalism took place.
"We call on the United States to severely punish those who have done [this]," Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relic Exchange Center's director told the Beijing Youth Daily, a state-run Chinese newspaper.
The warrior statues date back to 209 B.C., when the Qin Dynasty ruled China. The life-size statues were constructed to guard the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Now a UN world heritage site, they were discovered by a Chinese farmer in 1974 in Shaanxi province, according to the Franklin Institute's exhibit page.
Delaware-resident Michael Rohana was arrested last week, US officials said, accused of stealing the thumb in December during an ugly sweater party hosted by the museum.
During the event, Rohana and a few of his friends entered the closed off terracotta warrior exhibit, and after his friends left, Rohana took a selfie with one of the statues, according to surveillance footage and court documents.
He then put his hand on the left hand of one of the warriors and snapped something off, the documents said. Rohana pocketed the warrior's thumb and took it home with him to Delaware that evening.
A museum worker discovered the missing thumb on January 8, and the FBI Art Crime Unit began to investigate. Surveillance video helped lead the FBI to both the thumb and their suspect, Rohana.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I’d like like to give them a finger. They’ve been giving us one for years now.
An ART CRIME UNIT?
REALLY?
After the blunders of Florida, this group would be refused crayons, let alone managing a case with foreign links.
Let the Chinese extradite him and determine his punishment
He was just taking the phrase “giving the finger” literally.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/world/asia/china-cultural-revolution-explainer.html
China’s Cultural Revolution, Explained
By AUSTIN RAMZY MAY 14, 2016
Under a campaign to wipe out the “Four Olds” — ideas, customs, culture, habits — they carried out widespread destruction of historical sites and cultural relics.
Same crap that the Neo-Commie Left is pulling in America.
I didn’t know Ricotta had fingers.
This whole things smells cheesy.
sorry...
WWW III starts over a thumb. A new low for mankind. More ridiculous than a low-level Serbian prince getting executed.
Off with his thumb - punishment fit the crime. Or it would in China.
Actually your comment is spot on and doesn’t need the sarcasm tag.
Maybe trade the thumb from a used General Robert E. Lee statue?
Extradite him to China and let them deal with him.
You betcha. His folks should have taught him better. I know he was grown, but he was never taught to respect others.
“FBI Art Crime Unit began to investigate”
Can this agency do anything about the Obama portraits?
:>)
Highly unlikely!
To color INSIDE the lines takes great concentration.
One thought, though...
It was mentioned many felt the artist had painted an extra finger on BO’Bs hand. Take one finger from BO’B and ship it to China. He does so love giving away ‘free stuff’
Why is there no picture of him anywhere?
I agree.
I saw these warriors in China last year. There are now 8,000 warriors, which makes 16,000 thumbs. $4.5 million for one terracotta thumb is a bit overpriced.
This is pure ugly american behavior. The authorities ought to send the perp's thumbs to China with an apology.
I’m not sure what you’re asking. If ISIS destroyed Chinese antiquities, I’m quite sure they’d be “livid” about that too.
Use the same book they threw at the BLM people who toppled statues in Durham.
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