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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 12d

There will be much more to say, esp. against the background of my research on the legal classification of hominin fossils. Watch this space for a blog post, and in the meantime, consider joining my upcoming lectures about human remains! /end

paul-stewens.com/news/

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 12d

Java Man will now return as a fossil/cultural object, without any differential treatment on account of being a human ancestor. The fossils are not treated as human remains. This might be interesting for Zambia's struggle to return the Broken Hill skull from UK which they do claim as an ancestor. /6

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 12d

The NL gov't also recognises that the fossils "held spiritual and economic value for local people". This puts the Dubois collection in the context of the debate surrounding the debate on colonial loot. Cultural & natural artifacts are two sides of the same coin. /5

www.government.nl/latest/news/...

The Netherlands will return Dubois collection to Indonesia

The Netherlands plans to transfer more than 28,000 fossils from the Dubois collection to Indonesia, following a request by Indonesian authorities. Today, Gouke Moes, Minister of Education, Culture and...

www.government.nl

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 12d

I'm not aware of any other case where such a significant amount of fossils has been returned. This is an unprecedented, groundbreaking decision - and not only by the standards of natural history; I am not aware of any large-scale restitutions such as this one for art/antiquities, either. /4

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 12d

The heart of the collection are the skullcap, femur and molar of a Homo erectus ("Java Man") which local workers, directed by Dutch anatomist Eugène #Dubois discovered in the 1890s. I've seen the exhibit @naturalis.bsky.social and it brilliantly integrates the fossils with a live reconstruction. /3

Glass cases with a live reconstruction of homo erectus on the Java Man fossils side by side.

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 12d

The return is the result of an official request which the Indonesian government submitted in 2022. An independent commission has now recommended the return of the collection in light of the circumstances of their #colonial acquisition. /2

restitutionmatters.org/news-item/br...

BREAKING: Unconditional restitution by the Netherlands of over 28,000 fossils to Indonesia | RM*[restitution matters]

[ most links are in Dutch, some in English ] Today, Dutch Minister Moes (Education, Culture and Science) presented a letter to Indonesian Minister Fadli Zon (Culture) announcing this decision. The so-...

restitutionmatters.org

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 12d

This is HUGE. Unconditional #repatriation of 28,000 fossils from the Dubois collection to Indonesia. Largest ever fossil and perhaps natural history #restitution (AFAIK). Famous #hominin fossil included. Lots of things to unpack, here are some preliminary thoughts. /1

Naturalis Biodiversity Center @naturalis.bsky.social · 12d

Nederland geeft fossielen Dubois-collectie terug aan Indonesië.

Statement en meer informatie te vinden op www.naturalis.nl/persberichte...

Scheldepkapje in Dubois-collectie in zaal vroege mens

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · 29d

I'm going back to #Geneva! As the 2024 Lalive Merryman Fellow, I'll be working on the legal classification of #hominin fossils as #humanremains between 22/09 and 17/10. If you're in GVA during that time and/or curious about my research project, please (re-)connect!

paul-stewens.com/news/fellows...

Selfie of Paul Stewens in a green suit in front of the UN HQ in Geneva (Switzerland)

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Aug 20

Update: The post is online!

bsky.app/profile/p-st...

Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Aug 20

Many people have sent me the CNN piece on trade in 🇲🇦 fossils. It does many things well; picking interviewees is not one of them. No legal experts, only palaeontologists repeating legal factoids. Please read my comment.

🌐CNN: edition.cnn.com/2025/08/15/s...
✒️Blog: paul-stewens.com/blog/2025/mo...

Paul P. Stewens | The 1970 UNESCO Convention applies to individual fossils

There is no legal grey area, and they don't have to belong to a collection.

paul-stewens.com

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Aug 20

Many people have sent me the CNN piece on trade in 🇲🇦 fossils. It does many things well; picking interviewees is not one of them. No legal experts, only palaeontologists repeating legal factoids. Please read my comment.

🌐CNN: edition.cnn.com/2025/08/15/s...
✒️Blog: paul-stewens.com/blog/2025/mo...

Paul P. Stewens | The 1970 UNESCO Convention applies to individual fossils

There is no legal grey area, and they don't have to belong to a collection.

paul-stewens.com

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Aug 19

In terms of substance, I take particular issue with the "legal gray area" argument and the allegedly imprecise wording of the 1970 UNESCO Convention. Expect a blog post. [fin]

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Aug 19

Wholeheartedly agree with Emma. The piece is a really mixed bag: very comprehensive, topical, and timely, but with a selection of experts that I find partially questionable. Call me crazy, but I do think that a piece about the legality of the fossil trade should include legal experts. [cont'd]

Emma Dunne @emmadnn.bsky.social · Aug 16

Great to see an interrogation of the sources of commercial fossils, especially from Morocco 🦖🇲🇦

But utterly disappointing to see the platforming of people who have repeatedly and openly flouted (inter)national laws. Not a legal (or ethics) expert in sight 🤦‍♀️ [1]

edition.cnn.com/2025/08/15/s...

I tried to find out if the fossil I bought online was real. Then I realized I was asking the wrong question | CNN

It’s obvious a 95 million-year-old fossil would have a rich past — but what a CNN writer discovered about a dinosaur tooth he bought for about $100 was more than he anticipated.

edition.cnn.com

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · May 20

Passionate about #restitution? Curious about what it means for natural history #museums? Then this event is for you! I'll be speaking at the @mnhn.fr on 3 June 2025 about this very issue - and you can join my hybrid lecture from anywhere!

More info: paul-stewens.com/news/lecture...

Paul P. Stewens | Upcoming lecture 'A Tale of Two Museums - Introducing the Issue of Restitution to Natural History Museums' (Paris/hybrid)

On 3 June 2025, I will give a hybrid lecture at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle titled 'A Tale of Two Museums - Introducing the Issue of Restitution to Natural History Museums'.

paul-stewens.com

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 8

@alinemghilardi.bsky.social is leading another effort to bring the Irritator challengeri holotype back to Brazil. In support of #IrritatorBelongstoBR, I've written up a bit of background on the case, as well as some of my own thoughts. Make sure to check it out!

paul-stewens.com/blog/2025/ir...

Paul P. Stewens | Fossil repatriation is back on the agenda (#IrritatorBelongstoBR)

There's a new social media campaign for the return of <i>Irritator challengeri</i> - and it's high time German institutions listened.

paul-stewens.com

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 7

This is a beautiful, concise review of absolutely trailblazing research by the people who got me seriously interested in Law and Palaeontology back in 2021. You’ve done so much, against all odds, for the discipline and for me, and I deeply respect you for it!

Emma Dunne @emmadnn.bsky.social · Apr 7

When @mauritiantales.bsky.social and I began leading this study, we never thought it would get 10 citations let alone the 200 it reached his week!

But what started almost 5 years ago as a lockdown data project has taken us on an unimaginable rollercoaster... (1/n)

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Colonial history and global economics distort our understanding of deep-time biodiversity - Nature Ecology & Evolution

Analysing the global distribution, source and authorship of fossil research over the past 30 years, the authors find that researchers in high- or upper-middle-income countries hold a monopoly over pal...

www.nature.com

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 7

Not sure honestly, I don't think these authorities are super active on any social media platform...

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 7

True, but a return based on a museum-level agreement would be seen as illegal. As part of a public collection, the fossil (ironically) is 🇩🇪 national cultural property that can only be exported with a license (Sections 6+23 Cultural Property Protection Act).
www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_kgs...

www.gesetze-im-internet.de

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 7

Being the author of said legal analysis, I can confirm that in my opinion, the @smnstuttgart.bsky.social did not acquire good title to the fossil and that it remains the property of Brazil.

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 7

@alinemghilardi.bsky.social: Maybe it could make sense to clarify this for the campaign? I think the pressure should be put on those institutions that actually call the shots, and these are the state government (@regierungbw.bsky.social) and, even more so, the science ministry (@mwk-bw.bsky.social).

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 7

Crucial point by @skyemcdavid.com: the social media campaign for #IrritatorBelongstoBR should target the gov't of Baden-Württemberg, not the @smnstuttgart.bsky.social (or the 🇩🇪 federal gov't). Remember: for #UbirajaraBelongstoBR, the gov't even overruled the museum, which had refused the return.

Skye McDavid @skyemcdavid.com · Apr 7

I agree Irritator should be repatriated, but the social media campaign should really be focusing on the State government of Baden-Württemberg rather than the museum, since the museum can't legally take action on its own.

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Apr 6

Essential thread by @alinemghilardi.bsky.social about #IrritatorBelongstoBR. There was so much support for repatriation when we pushed for it in 2023 - and it’s high time that this is put back on the agenda; the fossil HAS to go back.

Detailed legal background: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Mar 19

Remember the potentially forged #mosasaur jaw? I've turned my thread into a blog post, so if you're interested in the extended version, the director's cut, then here's the link: paul-stewens.com/blog/2025/xe...

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Mar 12

Happening today at 1.00 pm (CET), title slide for a teaser!

Title slide of a presentation titled "Distinction Without a Difference? Natural vs. Cultural Heritage in the Spotlight of Restitution Claims", showing a picture of a dinosaur skeleton at a museum and a Benin bronze.

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Mar 6

Event announcement! Next Wednesday (12 March), I'll tell you why it's not productive to think of natural history and cultural property as two separate worlds. The talk will be online at 1.00 pm (CET), so feel free to join me over lunch!

For all relevant information: paul-stewens.com/news/talk-na...

The Giraffatitan brancai skeleton on display at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin.

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Paul Stewens @p-stewens.bsky.social · Feb 26

And if you want to go straight to the article, this is the way: doi.org/10.1017/S094...

#UbirajaraBelongstoBR
#IrritatorBelongstoBR

“Ubirajara” and Irritator Belong to Brazil: Achieving Fossil Returns Under German Private Law | International Journal of Cultural Property | Cambridge Core

“Ubirajara” and Irritator Belong to Brazil: Achieving Fossil Returns Under German Private Law - Volume 30 Issue 3

doi.org

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