There is a narrative around colonialism that lots of artifacts would have been lost before likes or Dutch, British or French explorers saved them. For example a particular Egyptian bust in the British museum is said to have been used as part of the walls to a well before it was excavated.

But how true is this? Was culture preserved by the likes of the Greeks and Egyptians or in parts of India, Africa and South America before westerners arrived? Or has this developed post-colonialism in response to exploitation?

Note: I understand this is going to be a sensitive topic, but I’m asking this question as I’m hoping to clarify some things I (and possibly others) may have been taught wrongly growing up.