This paper argues that the Elgin Marbles — sculptural fragments of the Parthenon Frieze currently housed in the British Museum — should be returned to Greece. The paper provides a historical overview of how Lord Elgin removed the sculptures from Athens during the Ottoman occupation and how the British government subsequently acquired them under ethically questionable circumstances. It examines the deep historical, cultural, and religious significance of the Frieze to the Greek people, the damage the artifacts suffered while in British care, and the growing public and political support for their repatriation. The paper also addresses concerns within the international museum community about the precedent such a return might set.
Museums are wonderful places to visit to learn about other cultures and peoples around the world. In this competitive age, museums distinguish themselves from one another by holding unique artifacts. For many institutions, such as the British Museum in London, England, this means struggling to retain artifacts that are not rightfully theirs. This is a genuine quandary when it comes to preserving the integrity of a country's culture and history. Where do the artifacts that represent that culture and history truly belong?
For the sake of argument, it is fair to say that each artifact is unique and therefore each situation is unique. One must investigate how each artifact was procured and how it has been maintained since its procurement. With this in mind, it is reasonable to suggest that there should be a distinction among artifacts that classifies them by importance to their country's heritage and history. The age and significance of each would play tremendous roles in such a classification.
In recent years, many museums have recognized the importance of returning significant artifacts to the peoples they represent, understanding how those artifacts continue to shape culture and the future for those communities. The Lakota Sioux and the Ghost Shirt is a prime example of this practice. It is the museum's ability to right a wrong that matters, and also that the museum remains accountable. This in turn opens up not only debate but also communication among the museum community. Such open discussion leaves room for new ideas and the exchange of culture. Still, there is much opposition. How would returning artifacts to their home countries affect museums? Will such events spark a new trend? Or will nothing change?
This paper focuses on the Elgin Marbles — better known as the Parthenon Frieze — and why these artifacts should be returned to the people of Greece. It briefly offers a historical review of the Elgin Marbles and how they came to belong to the British Museum under wrongful procurement. It details the Marbles' historical, cultural, and religious significance for Greece and its people. It examines the reasons behind the British Museum's failure to return the artifacts. An additional argument for their return is so that the Parthenon Frieze can be seen in its correct and complete context and properly preserved on Greek soil. The Marbles have suffered while in British care, and this paper offers examples of that neglect. Finally, while opposition exists within the museum community, there has been growing public outcry by the British people for this wrong to be righted, as the Marbles continue to define and influence Greek culture.
Before one can argue why the Marbles should be returned to Greece, one must understand what they represent to Greek culture, history, and religion. The Parthenon and its Frieze represent one of the most primary documents universally sacred to mankind. At present, the Frieze remains broken, fragmented, and incomplete at its site in Athens, which distorts the context and story the remaining pieces tell. As a whole, the Frieze tells the story of the creation of man and woman, pays homage to the Greek gods, and sets the foundation for Greek mythology and religion.
The reunification of the Frieze by returning the Marbles would make proper understanding of the site possible. Displaying the Marbles in London defeats the purpose of the Frieze entirely and changes the meaning of this sacred ancient history. The Frieze is significant in historical circles because it provided a foundation for mankind's history and intersects with the biblical story from differing traditions, contributing to key moments in history such as the Renaissance. Greece has long been situated in an area of religious unrest, where religious diversity has caused many problems. Yet the world has everything to gain from the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles so they can finally be understood and appreciated in full. Such reunification would, in turn, create a rebirth in scholarship.
This raises the issue of why the Marbles were removed from their original site in the first place. There are many factors involved, both good and bad. Lord Elgin claimed he was helping to preserve Greece's ancient history by taking the sculptures back to England. At the time, Greece was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, and Elgin believed the Turks intended to demolish the Parthenon for limestone building materials. Part of his motivation may have stemmed from good intentions, but greed also played a significant role. He wanted the notoriety and status that such a find would create back home, as well as the financial reward it could bring.
The Ottomans had little objection, as the Frieze represented everything the Muslim religion rejected. Christian authorities also agreed to its deliberate defacement, viewing the Frieze not merely as architectural art but as a document associated with pagan, taboo conceptions of God made in human image. It also represented the idea of multiple gods, which conflicted with the monotheistic worldview of both Islam and Christianity. Thus, the removal served the ideological interests of the occupying power while depriving the Greek people of their foundational cultural monument.
"Legal, cultural, and public arguments for repatriation"
"Concerns about precedent and flood of return demands"
This paper focused on the Elgin Marbles — better known as part of the Parthenon Frieze — and why these artifacts should be returned to the people of Greece. It briefly offered a historical review of how the Marbles came to belong to the British Museum under wrongful procurement, and detailed the Marbles' historical, cultural, and religious significance for Greece and its people. It examined the reasons behind the British Museum's ongoing failure to return the artifacts, the damage they sustained while in British care, and the growing public and political support for their repatriation.
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