The Victorious Youth Double Dilemma: From Heritage Networks to Origin and Back

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Ilija Rumenov, PhD Associate Professor
Private International Law Faculty of Law “Iustinianus Primus”
University Ss Cyril and Methodius Skopje, Macedonia
e-mail: i.rumenov@pf.ukim.edu.mk
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2763-5119

Ljuben Tevdovski, PhD Associate Professor
Classical Archaeology and Archaeological Theory Institute for History and Archeology
University “Goce Delcev” Stip, Macedonia
e-mail: ljuben.tevdovski@ugd.edu.mk
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9486-4341

Ile Masalkovski, PhD Associate Professor
Public Administration Faculty of Administration and Information Systems
University St. Kliment Ohridski Bitola, Macedonia
e-mail: ile.masalkovski@uklo.edu.mk

Donche Tasev, PhD, researcher
International Cultural Relations Institute – Skopje
e-mail: donce_tasev@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the multifaceted journey of the Statue of Victorious Youth, an extraordinary Hellenistic bronze sculpture with a contested modern legacy. The study adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining art historical and archaeological analysis with private international law to explore both the statue’s origins and the complex legal disputes surrounding its ownership. Central to the analysis is the dual challenge of reconciling the legal doctrines of lex originis – the law of cultural origin – and lex rei sitae – the law of location – highlighting a “double dilemma” between juridical frameworks and evolving cultural-historical understandings. The research critically examines recent landmark rulings, especially the European Court of Human Rights decision affirming Italy’s claim, while engaging with current archaeological scholarship that advocates moving beyond fixed cultural containers toward a networked view of heritage. The paper underscores the need for nuanced, ethically grounded legal policies that respect the interconnected nature of ancient material culture, and it outlines the implications of these insights for heritage management, restitution processes, and museum ethics in a globalized world.  

Keywords: Hellenistic sculpture, Victorious Youth, lex originis, lex rei sitae, cultural heritage law, cultural networks, interdisciplinary study

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How to cite:
Rumenov I., Tevdovski L., Masalkovski I. and Tasev D. (2025). “The Victorious Youth Double Dilemma: From Heritage Networks to Origin and Back.” Journal of Comparative Studies 18 (47), 26-54. https://doi.org/10.59893/jcs.18(47).002