The Parthenon and the Elgin Marbles

I expect that most people are familiarly with The Parthenon, the ancient Greek ruined temple that stands on the top of a hill over looking Athens.

Similarly people with be familiar with the story of Elgin Marbles taken by the British peer in the early nineteenth century and displayed in the British Museum. Also the battle by the Greek government since then to have them returned to Greece.

The Greek government have built a fabulous museum at the foot of the Acropolis to display them along side the pieces that Lord Elgin didn’t acquire. There is a good case for the Elgin Marbles to be returned now that they can be safely housed and displayed close to the site of their origin.

Mind you I do sympathize with the British Museum’s position. It would diminish their collection. That they aren’t allowed to by law.

But.

There are pieces from the Collection that could be returned. They don’t form part of the main display. In themselves they make no sense in that they are often just fragments of marble. These could be easily slotted like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle into the displays in Greece.

Unfortunately their return would set a precedent. That is a circle that has yet to be squared.

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