Reunification of the
Parthenon Marbles
The topic of the repatriation of
artefacts is still very much at the
forefront of discussions between
academics of humanities and art
historians. It has also arguably
only recently gained serious public
media attention, particularly when
the rightful home of the Parthenon
Marbles was beginning to be
questioned (first in 1984).
The Parthenon Marbles depict beautifully,
classically sculpted figures, designed
as part of a larger, architectural piece,
made up of thousands of tons of marble,
which began construction in Greece in
447 B.C, as a reflection of the power and
glory of Athens. The devastation of the
Parthenon, the reason for the decapitation
of the sculptures, occurred in 1687
when conflicts involving the Ottoman
Empire, which was then occupying
84
Greece, resulted in a direct attack on
the monume nt itself. The damage to the
Parthenon was so great that reconstruction
work and renovation has been estimated
to require another 30 years.
And so the Parthenon remained in its
ruin, arguably more beautiful as history
began to play a physical part on these
art works. The effects of the devastation
only added to the ageing of the ancient
monument, increasing spectacle and
its attraction to the masses. The 18th
century saw a steady increase in visitors
including those given permission to help
with the restoration of the Parthenon. In
1801, the then British Ambassador to the
Ottoman Empire and HM Ambassador to
the Sublime Porte, Lord Elgin, by means
which will be touched on shortly, gained
access to the Acropolis and was granted
the ability to remove what he wished in
the way of sculptures and pieces from
the Parthenon ruin.
In the following three years, Lord Elgin
removed his chosen sculptures. The
subsequent sale of his takings to the
British Museum for £35,000 in 1816
brings us to their current home in
London, where they have remained
for the last 200 years amid increasing
controversy and earning them the
popular name of The Elgin Marbles.
So that’s a brief history of the Parthenon
Marbles. Now, we can try to chart the
events that began in 1984 from an
impartial mindset (for now) before setting
ourselves on one side of the fence or the
other, should it be your wish to do so.
In October 1983, the Government of
the Hellenic Republic issued an official