Parthenon - Elgin Marbles
Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
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One of the more interesting issues facing the restoration of the Parthenon and other sites on the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, is the fate of the so-called Elgin Marbles. Removed from Athens in 1806 by Thomas Bruce, 7th earl of Elgin who was British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, they have long been a sore point in relations between Britain and Greece because the British Museum simply refuses to give them back.
Originally Lord Elgin was given permission to make plaster casts of various statues and friezes but he realized that, with a few well-placed bribes, he could take home the real things for use in decorating a home he planned on building. In the process he ended up doing a great deal of harm. Cornices were smashed, a column was hacked in half, and at least one statue was smashed. Financial problems prevented the home from being constructed and the 90 priceless works of art were given to the British Museum for display.
Why does the British Museum insist on keeping them? A couple of arguments are used. An 1816 ruling in the House of Commons states that the pieces were legally acquired and the legality of the acquisition continues to be asserted, although there are good reasons to regard that as doubtful. The British Museum also argues that the works belong to the entire world, not simply Greece. Not an unreasonable position, perhaps, but certainly not one that will convince Greeks.
Perhaps the strongest argument used by the British Museum is the fact that if they hadn't had the pieces all this time, they likely would be nearly ruined - just as are most of the works left behind and which the Greek government is desperately trying to salvage. As much as the Greeks may value the pieces today, that wasn't always the case. Pollution and vibrations from traffic have taken a devastating toll on the Acropolis and while things are better today, they still aren't good enough for some.
This particular argument comes off as insulting to many Greeks, but the fact that the Elgin Marbles are in far better shape than their counterparts still in Greece is undeniable. What is debatable, though, is whether the pieces would be in any further danger if they were returned. Perhaps not, but considering how things have gone in the past it is unfair to insist that people have no good reason to be skeptical.
There is, of course, much more at stake here than simple the Elgin Marbles and the Acropolis. Major museums around the world (but primarily those in a few western cities, like London and Berlin, display priceless artifacts from digs made in other countries during the 18th and 19th centuries - artifacts that those nations would like to have back now, thank you very much.
The removal of such objects today would be considered theft of the worst sort. The museums have a personal stake in keeping them and the return of any, like the Elgin Marbles, would increase the moral and legal pressure on returning the rest. It's a can of worms that museum curators would simply rather leave unopened.
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