The conflict between England and Greece was reignited due to the exhibition of statues and marbles from the Parthenon in Athens at the British Museum in London. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak canceled the meeting at the last minute after his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave an interview to the BBC demanding the return of the Elgin Marbles and claimed that some of the works were found in London. The rest of Athens is like splitting the Mona Lisa in half. The Greek government had long called for the return of the statues taken from Greece by British diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.
Some of the friezes decorating the Parthenon temple on the Acropolis, known as the ‘Elgin Marbles’ in Britain, have been exhibited at the British Museum in London for more than two centuries. The rest of the works are located in a specially built museum in Athens. The statues were removed under still controversial circumstances on the orders of Lord Elgin, then British ambassador to the Ottoman court. The antiques were shipped to London between 1801 and 1804 and sold to the British Museum in 1816.
These are 17 statues that are 2,500 years old, like the Parthenon. The marbles were part of a frieze decorating the ancient temple on the Acropolis of the Greek capital. These works comprised about half of the Parthenon’s 160-foot frieze, considered one of the world’s greatest cultural monuments. The statues are considered symbols of freedom in Greece, where they are known as the Parthenon Marbles.
The British diplomat removed the statues in the early 19th century, when he was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which ruled the country at the time. From 1801, Elgin himself would oversee the removal and shipment of 170 cases of marble to England. The diplomat claimed that he had personally obtained permission from the Ottoman Empire and requested that the works be protected from the neglect he feared would result in their preservation.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the man requested permission for artists to measure, draw and copy important sculptural pieces and architectural details for posterity. Eventually the request would be complied with, along with the power to “remove any piece of stone containing ancient inscriptions or figures”. However, despite extensive documentation from the period, nothing could be found to support Elgin’s purchase.
In the United Kingdom at the time, the diplomat received both support and harsh criticism. The incident caused a huge backlash and Elgin was accused of greed, vandalism and dishonesty. Lord Byron and many others attacked him fiercely in the press. After keeping them for 10 years, it was Elgin himself who sold the works to the British government in 1816 for 35 thousand pounds, approximately half of the cost he would have paid, and then the marbles were transferred to the custody of the British Museum.
Since 1832, when Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, Athens has been trying to recover sculptures and other works of art stolen from the country. Most recently, in 2014, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney asked Britain to start negotiations with Greece for the return of the Elgin Marbles. “This is an injustice that has been going on for a very long time,” said the lawyer, also known as the wife of Hollywood star George Clooney.
The head of the British Museum, former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne, has been pressing for a temporary loan to Greece and also appears to have finalized a deal. But both Sunak and Labor leader Keir Starmer say they would not support a change to the law that currently blocks the return of the British Museum. According to a YouGov poll, 49% of Brits say the marbles should be returned, 15% say they should stay in London and 26% say either way is fine.
Where do Britons think the Parthenon Statues/Elgin Marbles should be stored?
In Britain: 15%
In Greece: 49%
Either way, don’t mind: %26https://t.co/yrYpjDEuBb pic.twitter.com/B4aBAl0OLT— YouGov (@YouGov) 28 November 2023
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
