Elgin Marbles Research Paper

As I mentioned, this is an extremely controversial topic that has raised a lot of difference in opinions. Furthermore, I must admit that those arguing for the sculptures to remain in Britain do make some interesting points that plenty of people have taken into consideration. One of their arguments is that the sculptures were already in a damaged and fragile condition, and leaving them in Greece would have destroyed them completely (‘The Parthenon Marbles: Refuting the Arguments”, par 6). In the YouTube video, “Parthenon Marbles Debate ", one of Tristam Hunt’s arguments is if the Greeks are able to acquire their historic artwork, this may cause other countries to demand their historic artifacts as well, not just from the British Museum, but from museums all over the world as well. I can see the counter arguments that this controversy issue involves. However, regardless of whether they were in a horrible condition, the Greeks were never consulted, nor did they have a say regarding the selling of this artwork to Elgin. Now, when it comes to everyone claiming and demanding they receive their ancient artwork, like historian Hunt said; this is true. It can happen, but I don't believe that any other artifacts have the amount of significance that these sculptures do. The Greeks worked their hearts

In “Bring Them Home,” the author explains why certain countries sell their artifacts to protect them from conflicts in their country. Many countries need a place to send their very important valuables to prevent them from getting damaged. A country will sale or send their valuables to a trustable country.As stated in the article,Greece sent “stunning marble sculptures” that were in the Parthenon Temple to keep them from being damaged by the Turkish Government. Now,Greece has took their independence back and wants their sculptures back.It’s only right to send them back considering that Britain’s job was to

Acropolis of Athens, and more specifically the Parthenon is the most mysterious. It is thought to be the most characteristic monument in in Greek history. Symbolizing the beginning of Western civilization, it is also an icon of European history. The Parthenon was dedicated to Athena, Goddess of the city of Athens and the goddess of wisdom. In modern culture, more than half the sculptures are now located in the British Museum in London. Christianity was established in the 6th century. With this development, the temples were changed to Christian churches. Today the return of the Parthenon sculptures to their original home of Acropolis is highly anticipated.

“Who Owns the Elgin Marbles?” this question continues to linger in some minds today, and just so happens to be reviewed in the respectfully titled article written by John Henry Merryman in 1986. In this article, Merryman, in the most unbiased way possible, assesses both Britain’s and Greece’s side of the argument pertaining to the ownership of the Elgin Marbles and whether they should be returned to Greece after being removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century. Within the article, the main points discussed regard the morality and legality of the removal of the marbles. Merryman goes on to discuss three more main concerns dealing with the marbles and where they belong:

“The Parthenon was commissioned by Pericles sometime after Greek victories over the Persians between 490 and 480 BC” (Glancey 26, 27). During the Persian Greek wars, Athens believed that Athena watched over them and that she helped them throughout the war. The Parthenon represents the wealth, power, society, and culture of Athens. The building of the Parthenon cost the Athenians four hundred and sixty nine talents, which symbolized Athens as wealthy.

The Elgin Marbles is a culturally important piece of history for Greece. Having said this, it is important that the British museum focuses on being fair and follows the steps taken by other countries to return the items taken from Acropolis. By returning the item, the British Museum will simply be showing a form of peace and will help in attaining a positive outcome.

The controversy began almost one hundred years ago. Between 1801 and 1812, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, removed several sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens and shipped them to England, where he sold them to the British Museum in 1816. 167 years later, Melina Mercouri, Greek Minister of Culture, requested that the “Elgin” Marbles be returned. This request sparked one of the greatest debates the art world has ever known. For the past two decades, people have argued over who has the rights to these Marbles. The Greek position is certainly understandable from a cultural and emotional point of view. However, from the standpoint of

I believe that Lord Elgin did the right thing. He helped preserve the statues because there would have been no statues left, if he did not. Athens had already pulverized about forty percent of the statues, for the limestone. They would have pulverized the rest if Lord Elgin had not stepped in. If every country got to keep their own artifacts, how would anyone ever get to visit all the different artifacts that one museum can offer? If the artifacts were donated or purchased, would that be fair to the purchaser? No, it is not. Lord Elgin did everything legally, including getting an export permit from Ottoman authorities, so that he could bring them to Britain

The Frieze was taken from the Parthenon between 1801 and 1812 by Thomas Bruce the Earl of Elgin after he was granted permission to take them by the Ottoman Empire. He later sold them to the British Government in 1816 where it was moved to the British Museum in 1832. The Frieze was shipped in two stages with the first set going in 1803 in 200 boxes with the second shipment in 1809. The transportation of the marbles took so long as Elgin was imprisoned on the Spanish border at Pau for three years. The entire removal process of the marbles taken from the Parthenon cost Elgin £74,000. (4)

The Elgin Marbles are a subject of great debate. Both sides of this great debate have great points that support their argument. I am not sure how I feel about this particular debate. Every time I start to lean towards one side, the other side makes an excellent point.

One of the most well-known components of the Parthenon are the enormously beautiful and important marble sculptures that were placed in the pediment of the monument. These marbles are shrouded in controversy as to whom they belong: Greece or Britain. These marble sculptures were removed between 1801 and 1812 in order to protect them from possible destruction caused by the war between the Grecians and the Venetians, taken to Britain for refuge by the Earl of Elgin, and sold to the British Museum to be displayed. John Henry Merryman discusses his view on the issue of the ownership of marbles by presenting two main points and the validity of both sides. One aspect of his examination revolves around the legality of the removal of these sculptures.

In the Greek golden age western ideals and creativity flourished. During this time this society built a monumental symbol of western culture known as the Parthenon on top of the acropolis in Athens, Greece. For over 2500 years the building as endured nature and human damages and is currently on the verge of collapsing where it stands. Currently, there is a restoration project in progress to take apart each piece of the Parthenon, repair them, and put them back together in an effort to save the once mighty structure. On the surface the blocks on stone appear to be interchangeable but are actually all unique pieces.

As mentioned previously, there was rivalry between France and Britain in the search of antiquities bringing military conflict to a war of culture. The British government was hesitant at first in the purchase of the Elgin Marbles, but later came to a democratic vote of eighty-two to thirty votes in acquiring the Marbles for the nation. The Marbles are not distinctively Greek in the value of cultural heritage in the consideration that Greece was not a sovereign nation at the time of creation or acquisition. Thus the Indo-European material must remain housed in Britain to showcase not exclusively the British imperial power, but also the historical powers that resonate in the Elgin Marbles. When first presented in London June 1807, by Lord Elgin people believed the Marbles were, “superior in style to everything else on earth”, and in acquisition of the Marbles the Periclean Athens acted as a British role model in the period of the Napoleonic Wars. The Marbles of the Parthenon were created by the Athenians after the defeat of the Persians in 479 BCE with the lead of Pericles who aimed in the advancement of art and culture through the making of the Acropolis. The British Museum, in correspondence to the Acropolis, acts as an imperial centre that not only

The Parthenon is located on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece; is a former temple which was dedicated to Greek goddess Athena, whom the Athens considered their leader. According to the British Museum (2015), The Parthenon was built nearly 2500 years ago and has a long and complex history. After thousands of years it became a church of the Virgin Mary of the Athenians, then a mosque and then finally resulted in a archaeological ruin. After the result of a ruin, the buildings were reformed in which various sculptures were damaged. During the 1800’s after the Parthenon being damaged, the Elgin marbles (Elgin) a part of the remaining sculpture, was removed and given to a British museum. For hundreds of years there has been a question if the British museum should return the Elgin marbles back to the Athenians or not. I believe that that the safest and most beneficial place for the Elgin marbles is the British museum, therefore the British should not return the marble to the Athenians.

It appears, the Greeks feel they have been robed from their statues at the Parthenon between the years 1801-1805. Lord Elgin, was the ambassador of the Ottoman Empire, which Athens was a part. He was granted permission from the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire to take any statues from the Parthenon. However, the Greeks feel Lord Elgin took advantage of his position by taking the statues back to the British Museum. Since the Turks had conquered Greece, it is hypotactically assumed they did not have any use or desire to keep the Parthenon intact. This led to Lord Elgin’s adventure of collecting the statues for the museum. In addition, to this, he was quite happy to have these items, because at that time it was popular to have Greek decorations or