UK – Greek Diaspora History

Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum

Facts about the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum

The Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures depicting scenes from Greek mythology that were originally part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. Unfortunately, the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum have been known by many as the “Elgin Marbles”. We will explore the term “Elgin Marbles” below and why this is seen as a derogatory term and even offensive to Greeks.

Who stole the Parthenon Marbles?

Often referred to simply as “Elgin” was Thomas Bruce, a Scottish nobleman and British diplomat with the titles – seventh Earl of Elgin and 11^th Earl of Kincardine. Elgin was born in 1766 and died in 1841. Between 1799 and 1803 Elgin held the position of British Ambassador to Constantinople and the Ottoman Empire.

It was during Elgin’s time as ambassador that led him to Athens and to the brutal removal of the Parthenon Marbles. Unfortunately, this is why the sculptures are now referred to by many as the “Elgin Marbles”.

The Removal of the Parthenon Marbles

During 18^th and 19^th centuries, educated and wealthy Westerners held the firm belief that ancient Greek art and architecture was the highest expression of civilization. With this in mind, in 1800, Elgin dispatched a number of renowned artists to make sketches, paintings, and molds of ancient monuments in Athens. The intention was that these would then be brought back to England to provide inspiration for British architects and artists.

Then in 1801, Elgin claims to have received an official decree (a firman) from Ottoman authorities, authorizing him to remove pieces from ancient monuments in Athens. This firman however, has not been found in the Ottoman archives, and its mere existence is heavily disputed.

In 1803, the huge collection of Greek Parthenon Marbles was packed up into about two hundred boxes and sent to England.

The Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum

In 1816, Elgin offered to sell the marbles to the British government, which created huge controversy. Public opinion was divided among those who considered that they would assist in projecting the image of the British Empire as civilized, and those like the poet Lord Byron who were disgusted that Elgin removed the works of art from the Parthenon in the first place.

In the same year, the British Parliament approved the purchase of the Greek Parthenon Marbles from Elgin for £35,000. This was half of Elgin’s asking price and was approved by 82 votes to 80. In 1832, an Elgin Room was opened in the British Museum which housed the marbles.

Why the term “Elgin Marbles” for the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum is offensive to Greeks

The term “Elgin Marbles” implies the origin and rightful ownership of the marbles is to Elgin and therefore, now, the UK. The term “Parthenon Marbles” however, correctly implies that the marbles are from the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens. Attributing the marbles to its looter is deemed highly offensive to many Greeks and devalues the significance of the marbles.

Why the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum should be returned to Greece

Here are five key reasons why the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum should be returned to Greece (we really could go on).

Legality.
1. As previously mentioned, Elgin claimed to have received an official decree from Ottoman authorities allowing him to remove the marbles. However, the original decree has never been found, it’s not documented in Ottoman archives, and its mere existence is heavily disputed. Lack of official documentation stating legal ownership has caused many museums worldwide to return ancient artefacts to their homeland.
2. Even if we presume that the decree did exist and that the copy that circulates is an accurate representation of the decree, we can still argue that Elgin broke the terms of the decree. In the copy, it states that Elgin was allowed to “take away any sculptures or inscriptions which do not interfere with the works or walls of the Citadel”. Elgin sawed and chiseled off sculptures and friezes that were part of the Parthenon structure, which is a clear violation of this term.
3. Furthermore, if we wish to accept that Elgin received a decree and Elgin didn’t break any of its terms, then we can still argue that the Ottomans had no right to issue such a decree. They were occupying Greece as an external power, there was an active Greek resistance at the time, the Greeks declared a revolution in less than two decades after Elgin’s loot (1821), and had their newly independent nation globally recognized less than three decades later (1832).
The Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum have not always been adequately protected.
1. The British Museum claims that the removal of the Parthenon Marbles from Greece saved them from destruction, as they were not being protected at the time. Although it may have been the case that with Greece under foreign rule and constantly under siege, they weren’t under the best of care in the past, the question remains though – just how well have they been protected during their stay in the UK?
2. The first damage inflicted to Parthenon Marbles as a result of Elgin was during their removal. Elgin himself claims that he asked Antonio Canova (a world renowned Italian sculptor at the time) to help him remove and restore the Parthenon Marbles but he declined out of fear of damaging the works of art. As we know, Elgin went ahead without any notable experts by his side, sawed and chiseled off the marbles, damaging them in the process.
3. The second-time damage was inflicted to Parthenon Marbles was during their transportation to the UK. The ship transporting the marbles (the Mentor) crashed into the rocks of Cape Avlemonas on the island of Kythira, sending the Parthenon Marbles to the bottom of the sea. Although the marbles were retrieved, they did not go undamaged.
4. The third instance of damage to the Parthenon Marbles was when they first arrived in the UK. They were initially stored under a cloth (potentially a tarpaulin) at the back of Elgin’s house in London, exposing them to the harsh London weather conditions.
5. The fourth occasion where the Parthenon Marbles were damaged was as a result of London being the most polluted city the time. The early 1800s was the peak of the industrial revolution and London faced considerable problems with smog and pollution.
6. The fifth example of damage caused to the Parthenon Marbles occurred between 1938 and 1939. During this period, it is well documented that the marbles were cleaned by methods going against all restoration techniques. The marbles were cleaned using copper tools that caused significant damage to the surface of most of the sculptures. Further studies on the topic have even claimed that this cleaning process has distorted many of the Parthenon Marbles and damaged the architectural integrity of the sculptures.
7. The sixth-time damage to the Parthenon Marbles took place was in 1961 when two school boys began fighting and one fell on one of the marbles, knocking off part of a centaur’s leg and permanently damaging it.
8. The seventh instance of damage to the Parthenon Marbles was in 1966 when vandals carved four lines into the sculptures.
9. The eighth case of damage to the Parthenon Marbles happened in 1970 when another vandal scratched letters into one of the marbles.
10. The ninth instance of damage inflicted to the Parthenon Marbles was in 1974 when thieves damaged attempted to steal lead from the marbles and damaged one of the centaur’s hoofs.
11. The tenth case of damage to the Parthenon Marbles occurred in 1981 when a workman slipped and caused part of a skylight to fall on the marbles, inflicting a number of chips and scratches to the sculptures.
12. The eleventh example of damage to the Parthenon Marbles developed in 1983 when the British Museum was accused of coating the caryatid with a plastic film, supposedly to protect the sculpture from decay.
13. As you can see by these examples, and a number of further minor incidents recorded, the argument that the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum have been “saved” and “protected” is null and void.
The new Acropolis Museum is worthy of them.
1. An old argument that has little weight today is that the marbles won’t be able to be reunited with the Parthenon itself and Greece has nowhere adequate to preserve and showcase them.
2. The new Acropolis Museum, built in 2009, has been consistently ranked in the top 10 museums in the world and was recently named as the 6^th best museum in the world and 3^rd best in Europe – in TripAdvisor’s 2018 Awards (ahead of renowned museums like the Louvre). This completely debunks the previous argument.
3. Additionally, the museum includes a specially designed space to house the marbles (when they are eventually returned), which overlooks the Parthenon and the Acropolis.
Artistic and historical integrity.
1. To fully appreciate the historical significance and artistic brilliance of the marbles, they should be viewed in their context of their origin, the Parthenon on the Acropolis.
Morality and humanity.
1. The Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum mean a lot more to Greece than they do to Britain. For Greece, they represent the birth of Athenian Democracy, the Greek victory over the Persians, their independence from Ottoman rule, the symbol of their capital city and country, and so much more.
2. If not for any other reason, then at the very least the British Museum should return the Parthenon Marbles to fulfil their moral obligation. The marbles were removed from where they originate and belong in controversial circumstances. Greece has officially requested their return ever since they reclaimed their independence less than three decades after the marbles were removed. Repatriating the Parthenon Marbles would be nothing less than an act of morality and humanity.

#BringThemBack

Since gaining independence in 1832, Greece has consistently campaigned for the return of the Greek Parthenon marbles. Famous individuals who have joined the cause include George Clooney, Amal Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Stephen Fry, Melina Mercouri, Vanessa Redgrave, Fiona Shaw, Janet Suzman, Christopher Hitchens, Richard Allen, Tony Banks, Michael Foot, Jeremy Corbyn, and Xi Jinping.

Ever since the new Acropolis Museum opened in 2009, more weight has been added to the campaign.

Click here to see how you can join the #BringThemBack campaign and show your support for the return of the Greek Parthenon marbles to where they belong – in Greece.

#Brexit

The UK officially left the European Union (EU) on the 31^st of January 2020 and entered an 11 month transition period. Greece, backed by Cyprus and Italy, has demanded that the return of the Parthenon Marbles (and other unlawfully removed cultural objects) be made conditions of any trade agreements between the European Union and the UK post Brexit.

This is an opportunity for the UK to show that although they may be leaving the EU, they’re still European and wish to retain an amicable relationship with the EU. Furthermore, this would be an act of diplomacy during trade talks, offering the Parthenon Marbles back in return for favourable trade agreement terms. So, will the UK take the opportunity at hand?

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