Return the fragments of Armenian Pagan Goddess Anahit’s statue to Armenia – Petition

Return the fragments of Armenian Pagan Goddess Anahit’s statue to Armenia – Petition 

The remains of a statue of the pre-Christian Armenian Goddess of fertility, healing, wisdom and water are in possession of the British Museum. We now have the opportunity and obligation to return the statue home to Armenia. So our people can admire their cultural and historical artifacts in it’s rightful place. 

Anahit, Goddess of fertility, healing, wisdom, water, and war is an important part of Armenian history, mythology, and culture. According to the website of the British Museum, the fragments (head and hand) of Anahit’s bronze statue were accidently discovered in 1872 by a farmer digging the land in Satagh, south-eastern Turkey. The head made its way via Constantinople (modern Istanbul) and Italy to the dealer Alessandro Castellani, who eventually sold it to the British Museum. The hand was presented to the Museum a few years later.

The widespread turmoil and deportations in the region of historic Armeniahave robbed the Armenian people of the very artifacts that would represent the Armenian culture. The historic artifacts, such as the remains of Goddess Anahit’s statue, that have been scattered around the world throughout the many centuries of Armenia’s existence should not be presented to Armenians only through textbooks and encyclopedias. The physical presence of these remains in Armenia will give the Armenian people the chance to visit their history in museums or galleries without having the need to travel more than 2000 miles to do so. 

If you, the petitioner, have ever been introduced to Armenians and their culture, you would be familiar with the name of this Goddess by the numerous Armenian women that have been named after her. The following pictures are few of the examples showing that the sentimental value of Goddess Anahit’s statue is worth far more for Armenians than how it is currently represented inthe British Museum. 

We petition now to return the cultural treasures to the people of Armenia in care of the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan, where a copy of the statue is currently displayed. Similar cultural retrievals have proven to be successful for countries like Greece and Egypt. Particularly Egypt has succeeded several times in returning cultural values from the British Museum. We can do the same!

 Please sign the petition to politely urge the UK officials to approve the transfer of the fragments of Armenian Pagan Goddess Anahit’s statue to Armenia because it is important for Armenians to have what reflects our cultural heritage and national history in our museums.

Sign the petition here

https://www.change.org/p/uk-secretary-of-culture-return-the-fragments-of-armenian-pagan-goddess-anahit-s-statue-to-armenia?after_sign_exp=member_sponsored_donation