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The Unfiltered History Tour

In school you learn about museums but you’re never taught to question how their collections ended up in their hands. According to many people, the British Museum is the world’s largest receiver of stolen goods. VICE World News brings you the stories o...


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  • 8. Parthenon Marbles

    12:48
    When Greece was under Ottoman rule, Lord Elgin struck a deal to take whole pieces of the Parthenon in Athens back to the UK. The sculptures have been contested ever since. This podcast was produced by Jesse Lawson, with research from Marthe Van Der Wolf. Voice acting from Simon Lawson and Nikoletta Georgiou, and sounds from BP or not BP. The Unfiltered History Tour is a VICE World News production.

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  • 7. Gweagal Shield

    12:27
    In 1770, Captain James Cook approached Australia for the first time. Before even setting foot on land, he shot and wounded two Gweagal warriors and stole their belongings – including this shield. This podcast was produced by Jesse Lawson, with research from Marthe Van Der Wolf. Find out more about Claire’s writing on Aboriginal history at clairegcoleman.com. This episode featured sounds from BP or not BP, and Matmorfus [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode] from Freesound.org. This is a VICE World News production.
  • 4. Akan Drum

    11:22
    No one knows exactly how this apentemma – an Akan drum originally from Ghana – ended up in British hands, but many believe it was brought to Virginia on a slave ship. This podcast was produced by Jesse Lawson, with research from Marthe Van Der Wolf. This episode featured sounds from BP or not BP, and original drumming from Ernest Domfe. This is a VICE World News production.
  • 2. Rosetta Stone

    13:25
    Look closely at this ancient Egyptian artefact and you’ll see engravings made by British soldiers when they won this in battle from the French – the legacy of its fraught arrival to the UK.This podcast was produced by Jesse Lawson, with research from Marthe Van Der Wolf. Voice acting was from Antoine Morcos, Clement Geiger & Serena Salvadori, and sounds from BP or not BP, and Benboncan from freesound.org.
  • 5. Amaravati Marbles

    12:41
    The Amaravati Marbles were once part of a holy Buddhist stupa in India. They were ripped down, partially destroyed and sent to the UK during British rule. This podcast was produced by Jesse Lawson, with research from Marthe Van Der Wolf. This episode featured sounds from BP or not BP. This is a VICE World News production.
  • 3. Benin Bronzes

    12:49
    In 1897, British troops tried to negotiate with the Benin Kingdom and were turned away. They came back with an army.This podcast was produced by Jesse Lawson, with research from Marthe Van Der Wolf. This episode featured sounds from BP or not BP and Klankbeeld [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode] & ERH https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/legalcode] from freesound.org. This is a VICE World News production.
  • 6. Birdman and Boinayel

    13:35
    Only one percent of the British Museum’s collection is on display at any one time. These artefacts, originally belonging to the indigenous Taino people of Jamaica, are two of those. This podcast was produced by Jesse Lawson, with research from Marthe Van Der Wolf. This episode features music from TainoAge.com, and sounds from BP or not BP. This is a VICE World News production.