Why don't we give the Elgin Marbles back?

Greece, foundation of Western civilization, member of the European Union, is one of us, not one of them.” In other words, returning the Elgin Marbles today would only reinforce the colonial principle that museums are places where “Western” powers display the cultural treasures of the “global south.” And that principle ...

Why won't Britain give Elgin Marbles back?

The British government's official position is that it is not responsible for the marbles' fate: That, it says, is a matter for the British Museum's trustees, a group largely appointed by the prime minister that has repeatedly said the sculptures are integral to the museum's mission of telling world history.

Why does Greece want the Elgin Marbles back?

To circumvent rules forbidding “deaccessioning”, these moves are often couched as “permanent loans”. In 1941, during the second world war, the British Foreign Office actively considered the Parthenon marbles' return as a gesture of support for Greek nationalism, as and when the war should end.

Why should the British keep the Elgin Marbles?

The British Museum argues that the sculptures in their collection should remain in London because there's nowhere to house them in Greece and that the Greek authorities can't look after them.

What are the arguments for the return of the Elgin Marbles?

Send them back: The Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Athens

Should Britain return the Elgin Marbles to Greece?

A former UK culture minister says that the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Greece, fuelling the long-standing debate over the reunification of the fifth-century works that have been housed at the British Museum since the early 19th century.

Did Greece Get the Elgin Marbles back?

The treasure was returned last week to Greece by the Antonio Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum in Sicily, ostensibly as part of a cultural exchange. Under the deal it was agreed that the loan, due to expire in 2026, could be extended for a further four years.

Why are the Elgin Marbles so controversial?

Why the controversy? The sculptures are the subject of one of the longest cultural rows in Europe. The Greeks have demanded that they be returned to their homeland. Greece maintains they were taken illegally during the country's Turkish occupation and should be returned for display in Athens.

Did Lord Elgin steal the marbles?

On this day in 1801, Lord Elgin removed and stole the Parthenon Marbles from Greece. In the early morning light on July 31, 1801, a ship-carpenter, five crew members, and twenty Athenian labourers “mounted the walls” of the Parthenon and removed one of Greece's most important pieces of history.

Would the Elgin Marbles have survived?

In 1687, during the Last Crusade, it was a munitions store; it exploded and the building's wall came tumbling down. Approximately half the sculpture that survived all these disasters was then lost, chopped up and used as building stone, or as souvenirs.

What do Greeks think of UK?

According to a global opinion poll, 77% of Greeks view the United Kingdom favourably, while only 10% don't. The British have a very positive opinion of Greece as well.

What did Britain steal Greece?

Known as the Parthenon Sculptures, they are also called the Elgin Marbles, after the Scottish nobleman Lord Elgin, who stripped them from the ancient Acropolis in Athens in 1801 and sold them to the British government in 1816.

Did the British steal from Greece?

The marbles were taken from Greece to Malta, then a British protectorate, where they remained for a number of years until they were transported to Britain. The excavation and removal was completed in 1812 at a personal cost to Elgin of £74,240 (equivalent to £4,700,000 in 2019 pounds).

Will British return stolen artifacts?

For now, the British Museum is prohibited from giving its artifacts back by British law, although it is reportedly discussing possible loans to the planned Edo Museum of West African Art in Nigeria.

Where are the Elgin Marbles today?

Elgin Marbles, collection of ancient Greek sculptures and architectural details in the British Museum, London, where they are now called the Parthenon Sculptures.

What did the British Museum steal?

In addition to the Rosetta Stone, the content discusses Australia's Gweagal Shield, India's Amaravati Marbles, Iraq's Ashurbanipal reliefs, Nigeria's Benin Bronzes, Ghana's Akan Drum, Greece's Parthenon Marbles, Rapa Nui's Hoa Hakananai'a, Jamaica's Birdman and Boinayel figures, and China's Summer Palace.

Who owns the Parthenon Marbles?

ATHENS (Reuters) - Britain is the legitimate owner of the Parthenon marbles, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told a Greek newspaper, rebuffing Greece's permanent request for the return of the 2,500-year-old sculptures.

Who blew up the Parthenon?

On 26 September 1687 Morosini fired, one round scoring a direct hit on the powder magazine inside the Parthenon. The ensuing explosion caused the cella to collapse, blowing out the central part of the walls and bringing down much of Phidias' frieze.

Who really owns the Elgin Marbles?

For the last two centuries, the British Museum in London has claimed ownership of the Elgin Marbles without producing documentation that can establish beyond reasonable doubt that Lord Elgin, a Scottish diplomat, legally acquired the Parthenon sculptures from the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century.

Did Lord Elgin save the Parthenon Marbles or deface a monument?

The Parthenon had fallen to ruin. Half the marbles were destroyed by neglect and war. Then, a British ambassador, Lord Elgin, made an agreement with Ottoman authorities who were in control of Athens at the time to remove some of statues and friezes. He took about half of the remaining sculptures.

Did Elgin damage the Parthenon?

But Elgin's people also caused damage, both to the sculptures they removed and to the underlying structure of the Parthenon. (“I have been obliged to be a little barbarous,” Lusieri once wrote to Elgin.) Then there were the marbles that sank on one of Elgin's ships in 1802 and were only salvaged three years later.

Will the Parthenon Marbles ever be returned?

Part of Sicily's cultural heritage agreement, which provides for transfers and exchanges of artefacts between museums, the Parthenon fragment will be loaned to Athens for four years with a renewal option for another four, but talks are underway between governments for the piece to remain permanently.

How did the British Museum get the Elgin marbles?

In 1816, Parliament paid £350,000 for the Parthenon Marbles - most of which went to Elgin's many creditors - and a new home was found at the British Museum, albeit initially in a shed.

How the Parthenon lost its marbles?

Exposed on the Acropolis, the Parthenon was a highly vulnerable target, and in September that year, a deadly blow fell: A Venetian mortar struck it, causing a colossal explosion that destroyed its roof, leaving only the pediments standing.

Why does Greece want the British Museum to return the marbles?

Perhaps the most impassioned argument for the return of the Parthenon sculptures is that the pieces represent a vital and central part of Greek cultural heritage. That they are the most prominent and symbolic link that modern Athens and modern Athenians have with the greatness of their ancient ancestors.