The Great Game
Archaeology and politics in the age of colonialism (1860-1940)
ExtraShift 2009 / Photo: Ruhr Museum/Rainer Rothenberg
With demands rising for the return of world famous archeological artifacts like the Pergamon Altar and the Nofretete statue, the issue of the rights of the discoverers and those of the original owners in are hotly debated.
The exhibition "The Great Game" reveals the close links between archeology and politics in late 19th and early 20th century Europe and shows the big excavations and expeditions of the age of European colonialism. Conceived in close cooperation with international partners, it showcases more than 800 artifacts from 12 different subject areas. More than 60 internationally renowned museums and institutions as well as private collectors have committed themselves to contributing works of art, some of which have never been public displayed before.
Residents of Essen - one of the Ruhr metropolis' main cities and the site of the exhibition - have been key players in the archeology of the colonial era. Among them Carl Humann who discovered the Pergamon Altar and made more several spectacular expeditions to the Ottoman Empire, and sponsors like the Krupp family, which supported successful expeditions to the Silk Road.
February 12 - June 13, 2010
Daily, 10:00 - 19:00
Ruhr Museum
Gelsenkirchener Str. 181, 45309 Essen
A 670-page book tying in with the exhibition containing contributions from 50 internationally renowned researchers has been published by DuMont Verlag.
The exhibition is supported by sponsors including the German Federal Cultural Foundation, Sparkasse Essen, the Alfred and Kläre Pott Foundation, the Ernst von Siemens Arts Foundation, the Essen Cultural Foundation, Nationalbank and the association of PSD banks.
You can find additional information (in German) at:
ruhr museum