What is the debate over the Elgin Marbles?
The removal of the Elgin Marbles highlights debates about the ownership of cultural artifacts and the return of antiquities to their places of origin, with the British Museum accused of exhibiting “pilfered cultural property”.
Did Lord Elgin have permission to take the marbles?
According to the British Museum, Elgin was granted a firman (letter of instruction) granting him permission to take away the pieces… … “as a personal gesture after he encouraged the British forces in their fight to drive the French out of Egypt, which was then an Ottoman possession”.
Why should the Elgin Marbles be returned to Greece?
The legality of the statues is still highly disputed between the U.K. and Greece, with Greek officials arguing that due to the Ottoman’s occupation, the decree was not valid and the Ottomans had no authority over the Parthenon, therefore the marbles should be returned to Athens.
Why are the Elgin Marbles so important to Greece?
The Elgin Marbles are sculptures from the Parthenon… … a marble frieze temple (aka a Doric temple) on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, built in 447–432 BC and dedicated to the goddess Athena. The temple was “the centrepiece of an ambitious building programme on the Acropolis of Athens,” the British Museum explains.
Should the Elgin Marbles be returned to Greece debate?
Why did Lord Elgin take the Parthenon Marbles?
Did the British steal the Elgin Marbles?
In Britain, the acquisition of the collection was supported by some, while some others, such as Lord Byron, likened the Earl’s actions to vandalism or looting. Following a public debate in Parliament and its subsequent exoneration of Elgin, he sold the Marbles to the British government in 1816.
What was the debate about the Elgin Marbles?
The Elgin Marbles Debate Perhaps the most famous debate about the rights of ownership and patrimony surround a series of carved marbles from the Parthenon at Athens, held since the nineteenth century in the British Museum in London. Over the past decades, the Greek government has made a series of requests for the return of these objects.
Where can I see the Elgin Marbles in Athens?
Athens now undoubtedly has the facilities to look after the sculptures properly – the specially designed New Acropolis Museum would display the marbles exactly as they appeared on the original temple. The marbles have suffered considerable damage while in London.
Where are the marbles from the Parthenon held?
Perhaps the most famous debate about the rights of ownership and patrimony surround a series of carved marbles from the Parthenon at Athens, held since the nineteenth century in the British Museum in London. Over the past decades, the Greek government has made a series of requests for the return of these objects.
Why did the British refuse to give the Marbles to Greece?
British refusals to return the marbles to Greece have included their own range of justifications, from a firm assertion that the original sale was legal to expressed concerns about the ability of the Greek government to provide a stable environment for and proper conservation of these marbles.