Parthenon Marbles

For two hundred years, the controversy concerning the Parthenon marbles sitting in the British Museum that were taken by lord Elgin from Greece between 1801 and 1805, has been ever thriving. Today, in our modern society, the topic still generates debate and the world is still arguing over the same question: should the marbles stay in the British Museum where they have been held for nearly two hundred years now, or should they be returned to their birthplace in Athens? The debate has deepened in the last ten years as it has proven to have nationalistic and economic implications as well as raising questions about the ownership of cultural heritage.

The artefacts are a group of sculptures that depict Greek mythology and were once a part of the Parthenon in Athens. Created to embellish the temple of Athena, the statues were built in 5th Century BC, and have now advanced to being known as the highest architectural achievement by the Greeks. The carvings played a pivotal role in the art and history of Greece, but aside from their artistic and aesthetic value, the pieces have become a symbol of cultural significance.

Everyone, whether they are experienced in the field or not, seems to have their opinions on the issue set in stone, however it is important to recognise each country has valid reasons for their actions and demands.

The Elgin Marbles were permissibly taken thanks to a legal document written in 1801. Before removal, Lord Elgin was patient for the grant – a letter signed by the Sultan Selim III, who ruled over Greece at the time. The British Museum now own an Italian copy of the document. However, the documents allowing the marbles removal were written in a period of foreign occupation and are ambiguous. They were removed when it was under occupation of the Ottoman empire and the marbles belonged to the Greeks that lived there before. Moreover, there is still a persisting question of whether the Ottomans actually had legal authority over the acropolis or not. On top of this, not only was the original deed permitting Lord Elgin to ‘rescue’ the marbles misplaced, but the Italian copy – the only remaining copy – owned by the British Museum has been subjected to quite a few interpretations.

On another note, the British Museum claims the “objects being removed saved and preserved them from destruction”, as they were very prone to the pollution and were not protected at the time – instead, neglected. As much as this is true, times have changed. If the marbles are returned to Greece, they will be placed in an exhibit prepared specially for them in the Acropolis Museum featuring technology that ensures the protection of its collection. It was intentionally built approximately 300 metres from the Acropolis, allowing the marbles to be seen as intended. If defense surrounding the conservation and protection of the marbles were valid in the past, they have become void now.