Elgin Marbles: What are the Parthenon Sculptures and will Greece get them back?
- Published
A former adviser to the Greek government has told the BBC that a deal that could see the Parthenon Sculptures - also known as the Elgin Marbles - returned to Greece is "close."
The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer today. An official account of the meeting released by Downing Street made no mention of the issue, though Greece's public broadcaster ERT claimed it had been.
The Parthenon Sculptures have caused controversy for decades, as Greek and British politicians have repeatedly clashed over the ancient artefacts' rightful home.
What are the Parthenon Sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles?
The Elgin Marbles are more than 30 ancient stone sculptures from Greece held in the British Museum, dating back more than 2,000 years.
They were transported to Britain in the early 1800s by Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin.
Where are the Elgin Marbles from?
Most of the pieces of the Elgin Marbles are from the Parthenon in Athens, a temple built by the ancient Greeks in the 5th century BC. There are also pieces from other temples in the area built around the same time.
But there are some which are much older, from the Treasury of Atreus in Mycenae. That was constructed between 1300 and 1250 BC, making them more than 3,000 years old.
What do the Elgin Marbles show?
The Elgin Marbles decorated the walls and grounds of ancient temples and show scenes from Greek history and mythology.
The biggest stretches for 75m, showing a procession for the birthday of the goddess Athena, while others feature gods, heroes or mythical creatures.
Were the Parthenon Sculptures stolen?
Lord Elgin insisted he had permission to remove the sculptures from the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Athens at the time. But the original letter giving him permission has been lost and the wording of what remains is disputed.
In 2022, the Greek culture minister accused him of “a blatant act of serial theft”.
Greece wants the Parthenon Sculptures back
The British government bought the sculptures from Lord Elgin in 1816 for display in the British Museum. But when Greece became independent in 1835 the government asked the UK to return them.
It’s a request the Greeks have repeated for decades, including with the world heritage organisation Unesco.
Will the Parthenon Sculptures be returned to Greece?
Almost half of the sculptures from the Parthenon remain in Greece, which Mr Mitsotakis said is like “cutting the Mona Lisa in half”.
In November 2023 George Osborne, chair of the British Museum trustees, said the institution was looking “for a partnership with our Greek friends that requires no one to relinquish their claims.”
Then-PM Rishi Sunak caused a diplomatic incident the same month when he cancelled a planned meeting about the sculptures with Mr Mitsotakis.
Labour previously said it wouldn't stand in the way of any future loan arrangement between the British Museum and Athens. Sir Keir is thought to be more open to the statues being relocated than his predecessor.
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- Published3 December 2024